What Did You Do
by Hidden Heart 92
Summary: Set after season 2 last episode. Eve has been taken back to London, She's determined to put everything behind her but Villanelle isn't ready to let her go just yet
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: So I have a new obsession. I love, love, love Killing Eve and so I have decided to try my hand at writing some fanfiction for it, so I'll start by writing about how I think things went going into season 3. **

**Hopefully you'll all like it, comments are welcome and thank you for reading. If this goes well, I may do more. **

**As always I own nothing, all rights go to their respective owners**

* * *

**What Did You Do?**

**One**

The first thing that Eve felt when she opened her eyes was a warm hand enveloping her's. As she turned her head slowly, she saw Villanelle smiling down at her.

Panic began to rise in her chest as she saw the assassin's face.

"It's okay, Eve...I'm going to look after you."

Eve shook her head, her heart rate increased, the monitor beeped wildly as she struggled to get away and sit up in her hospital bed.

"No...no, not you, not you!"

"Eve! Eve, it's alright!"

That was Niko's voice.

Not Villanelle's.

It was Niko's face...not her's.

Eve began to calm down.

Niko gave her a warm smile but she saw the concern in his brown eyes.

"She can't hurt you. You're safe."

Eve nodded her head and swallowed.

Looking around, she took in the hospital room; clean, white, simple. A single vase of yellow flowers sat on the cheap wooden trolley table by her bed along with a full glass of water which she grabbed for and chugged down greedily.

She reached for the jug and winced when pain coursed through her, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut and shrink back in on herself.

Niko stood and gestured to the water jug.

"Would you like some more water?"

Eve nodded, unable to speak.

Niko poured her more water and handed her the glass. She hated the way her hand shook slightly as she took the glass from him.

Niko sat back down with a sigh.

"The reports say that she shot you." He began.

Eve nodded.

"She didn't shoot to kill you so I suppose that's...something."

Eve paused.

Villanelle could've killed her if she'd wanted to but she didn't. Her shot was off, yes she'd shot her but she didn't kill her which meant that she wasn't done with her.

Oh God...was this how it had been with Anna? How deep had Villanelle's obsession gone? How far would it go with Eve?

"She killed Gemma, Eve." Niko's voice brought Eve back to the present.

Eve looked at him.

"Oh...Niko I'm-I'm so sorry."

He shook his head and scrubbed at his face. She was relieved to see that he still wore his wedding ring.

"I know she...she meant something to you."

In a moment of absurdity, Niko laughed.

"She asked me how to make shepherd's pie. She said she knew it was your favourite and she wanted to know how to make it."

Eve stared at him.

Villanelle had gone to see him because she wanted a recipe? And then she had to go and kill Gemma as well?

Niko sat back and folded his arms.

"She's not going to stop is she, Eve?"

Eve shook her head as a single tear fell down her cheek.

"No..."

Niko then sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees and she knew with a sinking feeling in her stomach what was coming.

"I don't want this for you. I don't want her to be in our lives but you have to be with me on this. If you're not...I don't think I can carry on like this. She's dangerous, Eve. She needs to be stopped."

Eve nodded.

"Are you with me?" He asked, his voice full of hope.

Eve thought about everything she had been through with and because of Villanelle; she couldn't deny that there was something that tied her to the other woman but now Eve knew and she realised that as much as Villanelle wanted to argue it, she couldn't love Eve, she didn't know what that was and at some point maybe Eve had wanted to see if Villanelle could feel that way about her but now she knew, it was just possession and possession wasn't love. Villanelle couldn't love, no matter what she said.

Psychopaths don't know how to love, they don't understand the concept of it and they don't know how to return it. They think that what they feel is real...but the sad thing is that it's not and Villanelle was no exception.

When Eve's eyes raised to meet Niko's, there was a determined look in them that he had only ever seen when she was dead certain of something.

Wincing in pain, she reached out and took his hand.

"I'm with you."

...

Konstantin came to stand by Villanelle's side as she looked out over the river rushing by, the wind making it seem unforgiving and dangerous.

"I thought perhaps you would have given up by now." He said, his hands deep in the pockets of his black woollen coat.

Villanelle shook her head, her dark blonde hair whipping about her face.

"No. She needs me now. She's like me, she said so herself."

Konstantin sighed.

"She also says she doesn't love you."

"I love her, that's all that matters."

"Villanelle listen to yourself, it's one sided. She doesn't love you, she probably never did. You are...fascinating to her-or you were- but not now. Please, come home, yes?"

"No. She needs to realise what she is."

Konstantin sighed.

"It is best that we both go home. The twelve are very angry, you killed one of their men. They won't just let you live a nice life."

"_She_ killed one of their men, not me." Villanelle corrected him and Konstantin heard the pride in her voice, almost like when a child does something to please their parent, only Villanelle wanted to take the credit into moulding Eve into a killer.

A wistful smile crossed her features and for a second, her eyes sparkled as she turned to look at her handler or former handler, business partner?

"She killed him for me, Konstantin. If she didn't love me why would she do that?"

"Eve cares about people. She would've done the same for anyone else had they been in your position."

"No. She did that for me and only me."

Villanelle's smile grew.

"She loves me...she just doesn't know it yet."

Konstantin was losing his patience with her.

"And you think coming back here to London will convince her of that? Villanelle you shot her! She probably hates you now!"

"I didn't kill her. I could have if I wanted to but she killed someone for the first time, she needs time to adjust, to see that we are the same and that no one will understand her like I do."

Konstantin shook his head, finally giving in.

"Villanelle look at me." He said calmly.

She turned to look at him and he let out a breath as he pointed a finger at her, like he always did when he reprimanded her.

"If you do this, you do it alone."

"Fine." She said simply.

"I mean it. I won't be here to help you. If Eve kills you or tries to, I won't be there to take you to a hospital or get you out of the country."

"I know."

"This is a mistake, Villanelle."

She smiled and shook her head.

"No it's not. I need to do this, Konstantin. She needs to know that her place in the world, her only place, is with me."

He nodded his head, seeing that she couldn't be swayed no matter how much he tried.

He held out his hand to her and she took it as he shook it lightly.

"Then good luck. I hope she doesn't kill you."

Villanelle smiled.

"She won't."

Konstantin walked away from her, shaking his head.

He wasn't so sure.

Villanelle turned back to the river and watched the Thames become more choppy as the winds picked up once again.

Eve would come to see that what Villanelle said was the truth. Anna hadn't been able to accept it, she hadn't been able to see that Villanelle had done what she did out of love. It wasn't the conventional way with flowers and chocolates but what Villanelle had done was better than that, well it was in her mind anyway. Who else could claim they had proved their love by killing their lover's tormentor. Maybe she should have killed Niko instead of Gemma but then Eve never would have forgiven her; Niko hadn't done anything wrong, he'd never hurt Eve. He was safe. He just needed to realise that he wasn't for her anymore. He couldn't give her what she needed, Villanelle could and she would make Eve see that.

Yes, coming back to London was a massive risk but it would all be worth it in the end.

**Author's Note: Chapter 2 will be up soon. thanks for reading x **


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

Obsession can be a dangerous thing. Where does it stop? Does it stop? Are you ever free of it? How do you know when you've become obsessed with something?

Villanelle didn't see it as obsession.

She loved Eve and that's all there was to it.

Eve loved her, she was sure of it.

Ok, so it didn't exactly go how she'd pictured in Rome; she thought they would run away together, live their lives and be happy, she would finally feel that connection that she'd always seen other people enjoying but never experiencing herself.

Eve made her feel things, she'd told her as much when she'd come to her about getting close to Aaron and his sister.

What did she need to do in order to prove her feelings?

Sitting down at a table in a small corner cafe, Villanelle began to write on a notepad.

_Dearest Eve,_

_You told me that I don't understand what love means but I do. I meant what I said in Rome, you are mine and in turn I am yours'. I think that is what love is and whatever you have with Niko, it isn't what we have. We are the same, now more than ever, you just need to see it and trust me Eve, I will make you see it._

_You and I, we belong together._

_Do not turn your back on something that will be amazing._

_See you soon_

_V_

Villanelle looked down at what she'd written and sighed.

It was what she meant, it was everything she thought about, so why shouldn't it be put down in writing like this?

She glanced up before tearing the paper off neatly and putting it into an envelope and writing Eve's name on the front.

Should she deliver this herself?

Should she find some other way to get it to her?

No, Villanelle would deliver it herself, she'd always preferred the personal touch.

...

Later that night, Villanelle walked up the steps to Eve's place and looked down at the letter she held in her hand.

Pressing her ear to the door, she thought she could hear someone moving around; was that her? Was she in there?

A small smile tugged at the corner of Villanelle's mouth.

Maybe she should just go in, make it known she was back in London.

She wasn't going to apologise for shooting Eve back in Rome, why should she? Eve had been the one to turn away from her, she deserved it and it's not like Villanelle meant to kill her.

Suddenly, she had an idea and ripped up the letter, tossing it onto the ground and raising her hand to knock on the door.

She paused for only a second before knocking, then she stood back and waited.

She heard footsteps, some muffled mumbling and then Eve opened the door.

"Eve I-"

Eve was already slamming the door shut, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and anger.

Villanelle was faster and pushed back on the door, forcing it open and letting herself in.

"I just want to talk!" Villanelle shouted as Eve tried in vain to shut her out.

"I have nothing to say to you!"

Villanelle pushed past and Eve nearly fell against the door as Villanelle flew by her and turned around.

She didn't expect Eve to be brandishing a knife.

Villanelle looked at Eve and smiled a little, clearly pleased with what she was seeing.

"See?"

"See what?" Eve barked, pointing the knife at her.

"Already you are willing to kill whoever threatens you, I would be the same."

"That's because in some small part of my brain I had a feeling you would show up again."

Villanelle nodded and put her hands in the pockets of her coat.

"Can we sit and talk?"

Eve was shaking slightly so Villanelle moved forward causing Eve to flinch and point the knife again, more firmly this time in Villanelle's direction.

"It's ok, Eve...I'm not here to hurt you."

Villanelle's voice was soft, soothing and Eve found herself believing her.

Reaching out carefully, Villanelle took the knife from Eve and set it down on the side board.

She then turned and went into the living room where she shrugged out of her coat, draped it over the arm of the couch and sat down.

Eve stayed standing, folded her arms and looked down at the psychopath on her couch.

"What did you want to talk about?" Eve asked, her voice steady.

"How are you?" Villanelle asked and she seemed sincere.

"How am I? Oh, do you mean after you shot me in Rome?"

Villanelle rolled her eyes.

"I didn't shoot to kill you, Eve but I couldn't let you just walk away without a mark of your own."

Villanelle rolled up her top to show Eve the faded pink scar, the scar that had been made courtesy of Eve when she'd stabbed her in Villanelle's flat in Paris.

Eve's eyes went to the marked skin and she took a breath.

Villanelle stood and walked over to Eve, still holding her top up to reveal the scar.

"It's still very raised. I imagine it will be there for quite some time."

Eve stared at it and Villanelle watched her eyes, how they never left the mark.

Lowering her voice she made Eve look at her.

"You did that to me, Eve. Not many people leave a mark on me but you did."

Eve looked into Villanelle's eyes, tried to search for some sort of emotion, some reaction to the clear double meaning behind what she'd said but she came up empty.

"You can touch it if you like."

Eve blinked.

"What?"

"The scar."

Eve reached out, her fingertips brushing the smooth skin before coming into contact with the raised, slightly jagged line.

Villanelle let out a breath at the contact, closing her eyes and tilting her head back.

Eve glanced up and snatched her hand back as though burnt.

"Are you...are you enjoying this?" She asked, her tone holding a shred of disgust.

"You touching me? Yes." Villanelle answered simply, looking back down at Eve.

Eve took a step back and Villanelle let her top fall back down.

"So, where do we go from here?" Villanelle asked.

Eve frowned at her.

"What?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"You and me, what now for us?"

"Us? Villanelle, there is no 'us'."

The blonde assassin's lips quirked.

"Of course there is."

She stepped forward and went to take Eve's hands into her own but Eve moved back, moving her hands out of Villanelle's grasp.

Villanelle frowned slightly and cocked her head.

"You still don't see it, do you?"

Eve's darted from Villanelle's hazel eyes to her hands that remained limp at her sides.

"See what?"

Villanelle dared to raise her hand and brushed a finger down Eve's cheek and this time she let her.

"You are like me now, Eve. No one will understand you like I can. Just...just come with me, we'll figure this out, together."

"There's nothing to figure out, Villanelle. I don't feel anything for you."

Something flashed in Villanelle's eyes and tears formed in them. Eve took another step back, unsure all of a sudden.

Villanelle blinked and swallowed.

"You do...you're just scared but it's okay, I understand. I will always understand."

Eve shook her head.

"No, you don't. I'm with Niko, I love Niko."

"Him? You can't, you don't!"

"I do." Eve said more firmly.

Villanelle shook her head then sniffed and licked her lips as what looked like a thousand thoughts rushed through her head.

"What do I need to do?"

Eve frowned in confusion.

"What?"

"How can I prove to you that we're meant to be together? Should I do whatever he does for you, hm? Would that make you happy, Eve? If I acted like the doting partner, doing all these romantic things for you? We both know that's not really you but if that's what you want...I can be that. I will."

Eve stared at Villanelle and she would say she had lost her mind but psychopath's minds don't work like everyone else's and Eve had to keep reminding herself of that. Villanelle wasn't someone she could talk to and make understand, she had to be careful.

"No, Villanelle, I don't want any of that from you. I don't want anything from you."

Villanelle offered an uneasy smile.

"Then what do you want? Tell me, Eve."

Eve stared at her hard.

"Turn yourself in. Admit to what you've done and take the punishment. That is what I really want from you."

Villanelle looked confused and she tilted her head to the side again.

"But then...I would be away from you. They would lock me up and I-I couldn't see you."

Eve nodded, keeping her expression stoic.

"I know."

"Would you come to see me?"

"N-no."

Villanelle's face hardened and she stood up a little straighter.

"Then I won't do that."

Eve knew she wouldn't just give in like that and she sighed as though disappointed, hoping that Villanelle would just leave.

The assassin turned and headed towards the front door.

Eve followed her out into hall when Villanelle stopped and turned back to face her.

"I will get you back, Eve. I promise."

Eve had heard enough and started ushering her out the door.

"Just leave, I'm tired."

Villanelle gave her a warm smile and nodded.

"Of course. Have a good night, Eve. It was good to see you."

Eve shut the door quickly behind Villanelle and lent back against it after securing the bolt lock, for what good that would do.

Outside Eve's house, Villanelle put her hand in the pockets of her coat and looked up at the dark sky, the moon barely visible behind the clouds.

She smiled.

This would be interesting...

**A/N: Chapter Three will be up soon. I have many things planned for these two x **


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

The next day, Eve looked up from the morning newspaper when a knock came at her door.

It couldn't be Villanelle, not again.

Still, Eve took a small knife from the kitchen counter with her and hid it in the waistband of her jeans.

When she opened the door, she found it was a delivery guy, he had a big box under one arm and he gave her a small smile as she looked at him.

"Good morning, sign for this?"

Eve nodded mutely as he held the little electronic pad out to her and she signed it.

Handing over the box, he smiled again.

"Have a good day."

Again, Eve said nothing as she took the box and shut the door.

The box was black with no writing on it; no address, no barcode, nothing.

Eve was scared to open it but at the same time, she really wanted to know what was inside.

It must be from Villanelle, there was no else that would do something like this.

Oh God, what if it was a bomb? And when she opened it, that was it.

What if it was a human body part? Or something else that was dead?

Eve put the box down on the table and just stared at it, biting her thumb nail.

She had to know, so throwing caution to the wind, she ripped it open only to be met with what had to have been over 100 stemmed red roses.

Eve blinked and then her phone buzzed.

Looking down at the screen, Eve was only half surprised to see the text from Villanelle.

'Do you like them?' Vx

Eve didn't reply, the last thing she wanted was Villanelle getting inside her head again but then she'd never really left, had she?

She'd just been pushed into a corner at the back of Eve's mind while she tried to sort her life out, but she would always be there. She couldn't leave and Eve wondered if it had been the same for Anna, is that what gave the Russian teacher the courage to shoot herself?

The phone buzzed again.

'You can expect more things from me like this, Eve. I won't give up on you easily' Vx

Eve sighed and this time she decided to reply.

'You need to stop this'

'I don't think I do and I don't see the problem. I was trying to do something nice for you' Vx

The text was accompanied by a sad face emoji and Eve shook her head.

Villanelle was smart and very bright but she could act like a child sometimes. It used to make Eve feel sorry for her but now it annoyed her.

Eve looked down at her phone and sighed once again as she began to type back.

'What do you want?'

The answer was instant.

'You' Vx

Eve put her phone down. She didn't want to talk anymore.

She hated that Villanelle was doing this and she hated that she hadn't changed her number or threw her phone away when she'd had the chance.

She had to get rid of these roses. If Niko saw them how could she explain it?

He knew Villanelle's obsession with Eve but he didn't know about Eve's obsession with Villanelle. At least she told herself it wasn't an obsession anymore, the only thing that Eve was obsessed with was getting Villanelle behind bars and throwing away the key.

But she didn't have a job that would help her do that anymore but she still knew people so maybe they could still help her.

Eve would admit that was she nervous about reaching out to any of them, especially after what she'd done. She'd heard that Hugo was alive, just in a bad way and she hadn't even been to see him.

Should she even see him?

The last time they'd seen each other, Eve had chosen to find Villanelle rather than stay by his side as he'd begged her too.

She'd gone after the psychopath and proved everyone right who thought she was entranced with the other woman and then she'd gone and taken someone's life.

Eve was just pleased that even after everything, Niko had stood by her but would he still stay if he ever found out about Eve's side of the story?

Would he forgive her?

Would he still want to make their marriage work?

She highly doubted it.

...

Niko had vowed that if he ever met Villanelle again, he would kill her, so when she showed up at the school just as he was leaving that day, he found himself boiling with rage but controlled by fear.

Villanelle was an assassin after all. She could kill him if she wanted to but she never had.

She gave him a bright smile and Niko gave her a stony glare.

"Hello again." She said, her Russian accent thick as it had been that time she'd come to him in Oxford.

"What do you want?" Niko growled.

"I just wanted to make you aware of some things. Your wife in particular."

Niko bristled at that but listened.

"And what lies have you managed to come up with this time?" He asked firmly.

Villanelle frowned slightly, she looked a little offended.

"No lies. Only truth. I think you need to know who your wife really is."

Niko lowered his voice.

"She already told me what she did, no thanks to you."

Villanelle looked a little surprised that Eve had revealed to clean cut Niko that she had killed a man but that wasn't the card she had intended to play anyway.

Looking around as she nodded her head, Villanelle looked back at him as she licked her lips.

"Did she tell you about our night in Rome?"

Niko faltered and Villanelle knew she had him.

Eve would hate her for this...at first.

"Did she tell you how she had sex with Hugo while I was in her ear?"

She watched as Niko swallowed and she couldn't resist sticking the knife in.

"Did she tell you how I talked her through it? How I got myself off listening to her?"

Niko hand's balled into fists and Villanelle grinned as she looked down.

"Do you want to hit me right now?" She asked but she sounded excited about it.

"I would step back if I were you." He warned.

Villanelle didn't, choosing to prolong the torture.

"Did she tell you how much she enjoyed it? How she came whispering my name so Hugo didn't hear her?"

Niko suddenly rounded on Villanelle, raising his fist.

Villanelle stood, simply waiting.

"If it makes you feel better, do it." She said in a very matter of fact tone.

Niko's eyes were wild but a cold grin seized his lips.

"My Eve wouldn't do that. She wouldn't fuck a psychopath like you in a million years."

Villanelle nodded.

"You're right, she didn't."

Niko relaxed slightly but Villanelle wasn't done.

She lent in closer and her voice dropped an octave.

"She fucked Hugo _whilst_ listening to me."

Niko turned and shoved the assassin against the wall, much like he'd done when they'd first met properly.

Villanelle grinned.

"You should ask her, Niko. You don't need to take my word for it."

Niko felt the blood turn to ice in his veins. He told himself that Eve wouldn't do something like that; yes, she'd been a bit different since Villanelle had made herself known but that didn't mean that Eve would do something like that...would it?

Stepping back, Niko released Villanelle and she straightened her clothes.

"As I said, ask her yourself and then you'll understand your wife a little better, yes?"

She walked away without waiting for an answer.

...

Eve came running up to greet Niko as he came through the door. She threw her arms and around him and kissed him.

Niko smiled.

"And what did I do to deserve this kind of greeting?"

"I'm just happy you're home." Eve sighed into his neck as she held him tightly to her.

"Ok well, shall I make us some dinner or order in?"

Eve pulled away and looked at him with bright eyes.

"I've already done something! I was in here all day and I got bored so I thought I would try and make one of those dishes you always said I should try."

Niko put his bag down and shrugged out of his coat as he followed Eve into the kitchen.

His eyes never left her back as she busied herself getting the food out of the oven. It smelt good.

"Did you have any visitors today?" He asked.

"Uh...no, no. What about you?"

He shrugged.

"No one important."

It wasn't technically a lie, Villanelle wasn't important, at least not to him.

"Sit down, I'll get the wine."

"Wine? What have I done to deserve all this?" Niko asked but the smile was still on his face.

Eve shrugged and frowned a little but she wasn't offended.

"Can't I just do something nice for my husband?"

Niko kept smiling but an uneasy feeling began to seep into his bones as Eve sat down and they began to eat.

"How is it?" She asked.

"It's-It's good." Niko answered but it was all tasteless.

He couldn't stop thinking about what Villanelle had told him. He wanted to ask Eve outright but then a part of him didn't want to believe it could be true and another part of him only saw his beloved wife sitting opposite him, who would never do what Villanelle had claimed she would do.

Ok, so while she was in Rome there had been that thing with Gemma but Niko hadn't loved her, they hadn't slept together. Him and Eve were still married, he would never do that and he thought that Eve wouldn't do that either. Maybe she hadn't but he'd never know if he didn't ask. Of course there was always the possibility that Eve would lie to him and he couldn't figure out what was worse.

But Villanelle's words kept running through his mind, taunting him, forcing him to bring everything to light.

After a little silence had passed between them, Niko put his fork down and looked at Eve seriously.

"I need to ask you something."

Eve faltered for a second, her fork mid way to her mouth before she resumed eating and glanced down at her plate.

"Sure." But she didn't sound sure.

Niko scratched the back of his head and lent back in his chair.

"Do you have feelings for Villanelle?"

The question caught Eve off guard and she frowned but then started laughing.

"What? Are-are you serious?"

"Just please answer the question."

Eve dropped her fork and it clattered loudly on the plate.

"What kind of question is that? And why are you asking me this now?"

Niko took a breath.

"She came to see me today."

Eve's shaky smile dropped and a look of pure fear entered her dark eyes but she didn't say anything.

"She told me about what happened in Rome..."

"Oh...yeah but you know all that so-"

"Do I?"

Eve frowned a little.

"Yes...of course you do."

"So you didn't have sex with Hugo in Rome with Villanelle 'coaching' you?"

"Coaching me?"

"Just answer the question, Eve!" Niko snapped, raising his voice.

Eve paused and Niko didn't need her to speak to know that Villanelle had been telling the truth.

"I don't begrudge you having sex with another man, we were separated but with Villanelle...in your ear the whole time? Eve, what were you thinking? She killed your partner! She's a killer and she made you kill too!"

"That was before!"

"Oh so the fact that you did it before you killed someone makes it all better, does it?!"

"I'm not saying that what we did-"

"Oh it's 'we' now, is it? Just what draws you to her, Eve?! She is a psychopath!"

"I-I don't know! I didn't want to feel like that about her! I didn't expect to be in some fucked up threesome with her and Hugo!"

"But you did! You let her manipulate you into it! Why do you give her so much control over you?!"

"Because she knows what I want!" Eve finally exclaimed.

An awkward silence stretched between them and Niko just sat there staring at his wife and Eve knew that look; he was wondering who she was. He was wondering where his wife, the woman he'd married...where had she gone?

Niko got to his feet and looked down at her.

"If you think she knows you better than I do, Eve, then go be with her. I can't do this anymore."

"Niko, wait. Let's just talk about this-"

"There's nothing to talk about, Eve. I don't know who you are anymore. The Eve I know would never have sex with a psychopath-"

"She wasn't even in the same room."

"Like that makes a difference?! She was in your ear while you fucked another man! What was she even saying to you?!"

Eve frowned deeply, shaking her head.

"I'm not going to tell you that-"

"No, I want you to! I want to know everything she said! What exactly did she say that got you off?!"

Eve stared at up him.

"You're right. There's nothing to talk about."

She stood and left the room, wine glass in hand and went upstairs.

Niko followed her up soon after and she watched him grab a bag and start stuffing her clothes into it.

"W-what are you doing?" She stammered.

"I left last time but this is your doing. I don't want you here anymore." Niko said, his voice calm and steady.

"But...I have nowhere else to go."

Niko zipped up the bag and left it by the foot of the bed.

"That's just not problem...I'm going for a walk. I want you gone by the time I get back."

Eve watched Niko leave the room and listened as the door closed. Her gaze went to the bag and she sighed.

...

Villanelle lay on her stomach on the bed in the hotel suite she had booked. She couldn't go back to her London apartment. They would know she lived there. So she figured that going to different hotels would be the better option.

As she flicked through the channels on the TV, she stopped on one. It was a black and white film and it held her interest for a little while.

Her phone buzzed and she frowned as she looked down at it; probably Konstantin begging her to reconsider what she was planning to do.

She sat up when she saw the text.

'Where are you?' E

**A/N: Thank you to those who are still with this story, chapter four will be up soon. Reviews are welcome as they keep me motivated x **


	4. Chapter 4

**Four **

Less than an hour later, Villanelle opened the door to Eve who stood looking broken and lost at her door. She had been crying.

"Can...can I come in?" Eve stuttered.

Villanelle nodded; no smirk on her face, no cold grin, she just stood back and let Eve walk in of her own accord.

The blonde shut the door quietly behind Eve as she walked in and sat down on the bed, still in her coat.

"Would you like to talk about what happened?" Villanelle asked carefully.

Eve was just staring at a spot on the floor.

Villanelle let out a breath before she folded her arms and just stayed standing, She remembered what had happened last time she had been on a bed with Eve.

"Okay...just tell me what I can do."

Eve finally looked up at her, raising her head slowly.

"There's nothing you can do...you've done enough."

Villanelle smiled a little and Eve glared at her.

"There's nothing to smile about. This is all your fault."

Villanelle frowned in confusion before she nodded her head once showing that she now understood.

"Niko talked to you about us."

Eve lowered her gaze.

Villanelle sighed and this time, she came to sit down next to Eve on the bed.

"He left you." She noted, it wasn't a question.

Eve nodded her head slowly but then corrected Villanelle.

"Well he kicked me out but yes."

Eve's hair was left long and wild and Villanelle itched to run her fingers through it but she behaved and sat on her hands.

"It must be sad for you."

Eve glanced at her.

"Is that something you can feel? Sadness?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"I suppose...sometimes."

Eve shook her head.

"When have you ever felt sad?" She sounded like she was being accusatory.

Villanelle thought back to everything that had happened in her life but one memory, one not too long ago resurfaced; that night she had gone out feeling lost and forgotten and she'd looked into the mirror and cried.

"When I thought you had forgotten about me. I killed someone in Amsterdam and you didn't come. That made me sad."

Eve looked at her and frowned but she wasn't angry or confused, just unsure.

"Are you sure you weren't just angry?" Eve asked sceptically.

"I cried. If I were angry, I would have killed somebody." Villanelle shot back.

Eve nodded that she understood.

Villanelle looked at Eve, a question in her hazel eyes.

"If you blame all of this on me, why are you here?"

Eve stared at the assassin.

"I had nowhere else to go."

Villanelle raised an eyebrow.

"So you're using me for a place to stay?"

Eve gave her a cold glare.

"Is that a problem?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"No. I just think that if you're going to use me like this I thought that at least sex would be involved."

Eve stared at the blonde and suddenly placed a hand on her cheek as she had done that day in her kitchen.

Villanelle took a breath and stayed absolutely still.

"Is that what you want?" Eve breathed.

Villanelle nodded, her eyes shining.

Eve moved in close, close enough for their lips to touch and Villanelle closed her eyes.

Eve spoke, making Villanelle's eyes snap open again.

"The next time I touch you, it will be to kill you."

Eve dropped her hand and got up from the bed, going over to the arm chair in the corner of the room.

Villanelle watched her as Eve tried to get comfy on the chair.

"You can sleep in the bed." Villanelle told her.

"With you? I don't think so."

Villanelle shrugged.

"Suit yourself but it'd be a lot more comfortable."

Eve watched as Villanelle shrugged out of her robe and slipped beneath the covers, turning on her side away from Eve.

"You sleep naked?"

Villanelle glanced over her shoulder.

"Is it too distracting for you?"

Eve looked away as Villanelle started to sit up.

"No I just-oh God don't sit up."

Villanelle grinned as she held the covers to her chest. It did little to hide her sun kissed skin and Eve's imagination could do the rest anyway.

"If you want to have sex with me, you can." Villanelle stated simply.

Eve felt heat in her cheeks as she looked at Villanelle.

The blonde assassin didn't look like the very image of femme fatale anymore; she looked soft, innocent, almost angelic and it drew Eve to her even more than when she was being an arsehole.

"What makes you think I want to have sex with you?" Eve asked trying to appear indignant.

"The way you're looking at me...What happened between us in Rome. If your husband is going to accuse you of cheating with me then you might as well do it."

Strangely, Villanelle's words made sense to Eve and she found herself moving from the arm chair and over to where Villanelle sat rather demurely on the bed.

She looked so perfect, so vulnerable...

Hazel eyes looked up as Eve came closer and Eve reached out, touching her cheek again. Villanelle's hand came up to cover her own and Eve froze as she looked in the blonde's eyes.

"Promise you won't hurt me again."

Eve stared at her.

She didn't quite know in what way Villanelle meant. She couldn't mean emotionally, she didn't feel much if anything at all.

Eve swallowed and nodded.

"I promise."

Villanelle gave her a warm smile.

"Then come to me." Villanelle whispered as she wrapped her hand gently in Eve's hair and pulled her down for a kiss.

Villanelle kissed Eve softly at first and then deeper as Eve crawled into the bed beside her, almost looming over Villanelle.

When Eve pulled back to look down at her, Villanelle was still smiling.

"I have dreamed of kissing you."

"Me too." Eve admitted.

Villanelle started pushing Eve's coat off (yes, she still had it on) and ran her fingers through Eve's hair.

"You're so beautiful." Eve told her.

Villanelle smiled and actually looked a little shy.

"Thank you."

Eve ran her own hand through Villanelle's hair and suddenly gave it a sharp tug, making the assassin hiss through clenched teeth.

"Now cut the act. I'm not buying your bullshit." Eve warned.

Villanelle gave her the doe eyes again.

"But don't you like me like this? Innocent, fragile...makes you feel powerful doesn't it?"

Eve gave her hair another sharp tug.

"I thought I was having sex with Villanelle, not one of her personas."

The warm look vanished from Villanelle's eyes and Eve could see the psychopath before her.

Eve grinned.

"There she is."

Villanelle suddenly flipped them so that Eve was beneath her.

"Is this what you want?"

Eve nodded as Villanelle took her lips in a bruising kiss and forced her tongue inside.

Eve gasped as Villanelle continued kissing her; she was relentless, breathing heavy and grabbing at any bit of bare skin she could find as she tore at Eve's clothes.

"Get these off." She breathed in between kisses.

Villanelle moved back and helped Eve remove the rest of her clothes.

The assassin gasped as their heated skin met.

"Oh God, you feel so good."

Eve couldn't do anything but let Villanelle take control and to be honest, she wasn't complaining.

There wasn't very much teasing as Villanelle roughly pushed her hand between Eve's thighs and thrust two fingers into her.

Eve dug her nails into Villanelle's shoulders and both women started panting as Villanelle quickened her pace.

"Can you feel me?"

Eve nodded mutely as Villanelle robbed her of all thought.

"You see? We are the same? You need this, Eve. You need me. Say it!" Villanelle ordered.

Eve nodded, too taken with letting Villanelle get her off to disagree or argue.

"I-I need you."

Villanelle grinned and she started grinding down on Eve's thigh just to get some friction. She needed something to take the edge off and she had silently promised that Eve would be too spent after this to return the favour, maybe in the morning she would be able to.

"Are-are you close?" Villanelle asked.

Eve nodded.

A dark chuckle escaped Villanelle's lips and she thrust harder, bringing Eve closer and closer to the edge.

"Come for me, Eve."

Eve came screaming the assassin's name...just not the one she preferred.

Villanelle quickly pulled her fingers out and stared down at Eve.

"Why did you scream that?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

"I don't know...I just-I thought that-"

"I do not go by that name anymore. If we are going to have sex and you come you will call me by my name Villanelle! Not Oksana!"

Eve blinked.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I said it."

Villanelle let out a breath and wiped her fingers on the covers.

"It's fine. It was just a mistake. I'm going to sleep now."

Eve looked unsure.

"Uh...do you want me to..."

"No. I'm fine."

"But you didn't-"

"I know."

"Don't you need to-"

"No."

Villanelle then turned her back and closed her eyes.

Eve became all too aware that she was naked and so was Villanelle.

"Should I uh, go back to the chair?"

Villanelle didn't even open her eyes as she answered;

"No. You can stay here if you want."

"But I'm...I mean we're...not wearing any clothes." Eve stuttered.

Villanelle sighed tiredly.

"We just had sex, Eve. I think the time for being modest is long gone."

Eve nodded and in just a few moments, she heard Villanelle's breathing even out.

She was asleep.

Eve held the covers to her chest and stared up at the ceiling.

She'd just had sex with Oksana-Villanelle! Shit, why did she keep calling her that? She didn't normally.

She was pretty sure the next time they had sex, if Eve called her Oksana, Villanelle would really kill her.

**A/N: Well that's going to complicate things, isn't it? Hehe. Then again, maybe Villanelle and Eve can do the whole domestic relationship thing or they'll just go back seeing if they can kill each other. Wanna find out? Of course you do! **

**Chapter five will be up soon. **

**Thank you for reading and as always, feel free to review! x **


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

Villanelle opened her eyes and her mind went back to the night before.

A contented smile played across her lips and she rolled over to see Eve sleeping on her back.

The assassin propped her head up on one hand and watched the dark haired woman sleep. She looked peaceful, calm; Villanelle would also readily admit that she felt the same. It was a nice feeling, one she didn't feel often if at all.

She'd meant what she'd said when she'd told Eve that she felt things when she was with her.

Eve started stirring and Villanelle's smile brightened as dark eyes flickered open and then looked up at her.

Eve didn't smile though. She just looked confused.

"How long have you been watching me?" She asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

Villanelle blinked slowly.

"Not long. How did you sleep?"

Eve hated the way Villanelle's Russian accent made her heart beat just that little bit faster.

"Uh...yeah, not bad and-and you?"

Villanelle rolled onto her back and stretched out liked a cat.

"Hmm,_ very_ well."

Eve nodded.

"Good."

Villanelle looked up at the ceiling.

"So...what now?"

Eve glanced at her.

"What?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"Do we order breakfast, do we go out...or are you going to go home and pretend this didn't happen?"

Eve detected the sadness in Villanelle's voice and her gut twisted.

She hadn't planned to stay with Villanelle. This had been a mistake. Yes, Eve was drawn to this incredible woman, yes, she admired her in a twisted way and yes, she'd wanted to know what sex with her would be like but now that she'd experienced it, what else was there?

Villanelle was a psychopath, Eve knew that but why? What had caused her to become this way? Horrific childhood? Trauma? A deeply buried secret she couldn't escape? But then based on what Villanelle did for a living, she doubted the woman had any secrets she'd want kept hidden.

"Eve?"

Eve looked at Villanelle again.

What would be the point in going home? Niko didn't want her anymore. She didn't even have a job to go back to and bury herself in and hardly any friends and even the few she had, could she even trust them? Would they trust her after knowing what she'd done? How she'd left Hugo to possibly bleed out while she ran after Villanelle, only interested in her safety?

Eve rolled onto her side and smiled warmly at the assassin.

"Let's go out."

Villanelle smiled and Eve thought she saw relief in her eyes.

They'd gone to a chip shop and decided to sit by the river, enjoying the morning sunshine.

"How did last night make you feel?" Eve asked Villanelle as she watched the blonde take a chip.

Villanelle shrugged as she popped it into her mouth.

"Satisfied."

"But you didn't...I mean, you never-"

"I don't need to. It's nice if I can but it doesn't really matter."

Eve laughed in disbelief.

"Doesn't really matter? Villanelle, it's sex! If you're not getting anything out of it, why are you even doing it?!"

Villanelle didn't laugh and she didn't smile as she turned to face Eve.

"What did it feel like when you put the axe in Raymond's back?"

Eve suddenly wasn't hungry anymore.

"I don't know-"

"Yes you do. Tell me."

Eve let out breath.

"Uh, I guess...disgusted, angry..."

Villanelle shook her head and put the chips down gently on the bench between them.

"It's me you're talking to, Eve. You can be honest. I won't judge you. We're not like them, remember?"

Eve hated the way Villanelle said that; as thought they wasn't normal and she knew it but that they wasn't alone. That they were some sick, twisted people who would take on the world together. Maybe this was Villanelle's fucked up version of what she thought love should be.

Eve took a breath as she looked at Villanelle.

"I felt...powerful, in control. I'd never felt anything like it before."

Villanelle smiled and Eve saw the hint of madness in her eyes.

"You see, this is what I feel when I kill and when I have sex, it's about the power I have over another person. I can make them feel pleasure or pain, depending on what they're into, and that makes me powerful, so it's not about getting off for me all the time, same as when I kill. It's about the only time I used to feel something...until I met you."

"Did you feel something when you met Anna?"

Villanelle sat back abruptly.

"I don't want to talk about her."

"I think you should."

"Why?" Villanelle snapped, her hazel eyes widening dangerously at Eve.

"I-I think it could help you."

Villanelle relaxed slightly but her voice was quietly cold.

"Oh, I see, you think you can fix me. Make me more normal if you just get to the heart of why I am what I am, why I do what I do. I am right, yes?"

Eve nodded her head slowly.

Villanelle frowned slightly.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I like being this way? That I like not feeling things?"

Eve shook her head.

"No, I don't believe that. When you were in that AA meeting, what you said about being so bored and not feeling anything-"

"I was acting."

"But there was truth to it...wasn't there?"

Villanelle sighed loudly.

"I did not come out here to be psycho-analysed. I came out here to get breakfast with you. You think they haven't tried all this before? Therapists? Counselling? Tests?" Villanelle sneered and leaned in closer to Eve.

"I like you, Eve but even you, I won't let you change me. You can't."

Eve went quiet and Villanelle picked up the chips and put them on her lap. She wasn't sharing anymore then...

Eve wasn't sure how much time had passed. All the chips had gone and Villanelle was just staring out at the river, not saying anything.

Eve started to feel uncomfortable and she shifted in her seat.

Honesty, that had to be the best course of action.

"Villanelle."

The assassin glanced back over her shoulder as she lent forward, elbows on her knees.

"I don't know what to do." Eve admitted.

"About what?"

"Everything. Work, my life, Niko...you."

Villanelle chewed on her bottom lip as she seemed to think.

Did psychopaths needs to think? Didn't they just act on impulse?

"You have no job, no life, no Niko, but me?" Villanelle paused as she turned and placed her hand over Eve's.

"You always have me, Eve."

Eve smiled a little at her, feeling happy that at least she wasn't completely on her own.

"We can do anything, Eve. Go wherever we want, be anybody we want."

Eve was a little hesitant. Could it really be that simple? Could she really just up and leave her life in London and just live, like really live with Villanelle?

"I don't know..."

Villanelle raised her hand and cupped Eve's cheek, stroking over the smooth flesh with her thumb.

"Just imagine it; we can go anywhere. Just think of all the different hotel rooms we could have sex in."

Eve chuckled and glanced away shyly as Villanelle smiled, knowing it would cause that reaction, then she turned serious again.

"It would be just you and me, Eve. We can have everything we've ever wanted. I'll make you happy...just let me."

Eve suddenly found herself surging forward, kissing Villanelle passionately.

It was so easy. Just give in to her. Do whatever she said. Go wherever she suggested. Just live, spend money, be reckless. It all sounded so...freeing.

When Villanelle broke the kiss, her eyes were shining.

"So...what do you say?"

Eve nodded.

"Let's do it."

...

Eve had to go back home. Her stuff was there and she needed to pack.

As she started folding her clothes into a suitcase, her phone started to ring. Fishing it out from her back pocket, Eve smiled when she saw Villanelle's name light up her screen.

"Hello?"

_"What are you doing?"_

Eve frowned, a little confused at the question.

"Packing."

_"Why?"_

"Because we're going to...wherever we're going."

Villanelle chuckled.

_"You do not need to pack any clothes, Eve. I'll buy you new clothes, really expensive stuff."_

Eve rolled her eyes.

"You don't need to buy me new clothes, Villanelle."

_"Oh but I want to. I want to spoil you."_

"I'm just going to bring a few things."

Villanelle moaned a little, like she was getting impatient.

_"Ok but hurry. I can't wait to leave this place with you."_

Eve bit her lip and smiled, she felt like a teenager talking to her crush.

"Me neither. It's going to be great."

Then she had a thought and the smile disappeared.

"Everything...is going to be alright, isn't it?"

_"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? It's just you and me, Eve, as it always should have been."_

The sound of the front door downstairs shutting made Eve flinch.

"I have to go." She whispered before quickly hanging up.

She made more of an effort to pack faster, picking out clothes a little quicker and she was less careful; more throwing them into the suitcase, less folding them neatly and placing them in.

She heard heavy footfalls on the stairs and knew that she would come face to face with Niko very soon. She had hoped to do this without him knowing.

He stopped in the doorway when he saw her, his dark eyes wide with surprise.

"Eve." He said, the awe of her being there clear in his voice.

"Hi." eve responded flatly.

Niko looked at the suitcase.

"You're going somewhere?"

Eve continued to put more clothes into the suitcase.

"You kicked me out, remember?"

Niko sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I know but...so where are you going?"

What was the point in lying anymore? Her future was with Villanelle now. Why should she care about what anybody thought?

Standing up straight, she looked at Niko.

"I don't know where I'm going but I am leaving London...with Villanelle."

Niko's eyes widened even more.

"Villanelle? Eve, are-are you crazy?!"

Eve frowned.

"She understands me, there's something between us and I want to pursue it."

"Eve, are you losing your mind?! Villanelle is a killer! A cold blooded killer!"

"Well maybe I am too, Niko! Have you ever thought about that?! Maybe the reason we're drawn to each other is because she can see what's in me! What I've tried to deny all along!"

Niko suddenly took Eve by the shoulders, his voice shook as he spoke.

"No, Eve you are not a killer! You are not a bad person but Villanelle...she is! You don't belong with her, Eve! Please, please don't leave with her!"

Eve stepped back out of Niko's hold.

"It's already decided. I'm going."

Niko forced himself to talk calmly.

"When are you leaving?"

Eve looked at him as she zipped up her suitcase.

"Tonight."

Niko glanced at the clock, they had a few hours.

"I can't let you do this, Eve."

"You can't stop me." Eve said with a sneer.

Niko nodded and then suddenly, he was down the stairs and out the door.

Eve frowned, wondering just exactly what he was planning on doing.

It didn't matter, she'd be leaving with Villanelle in a few hours.

...

Villanelle paced around the hotel room. She hated waiting but she knew it would be worth it.

She kept checking her phone.

Just a few more hours...

Her head turned to the door when someone knocked on it.

She frowned and grabbed a small knife from the tray she had ordered some food on.

Pulling open the door, her eyes widened.

Standing on the other side, Konstantin looked at her.

"We need to talk."

Villanelle stood aside as he walked in.

"I thought you said I was on my own." Villanelle reminded him.

Konstantin nodded in agreement.

"You are but I came to warn you."

Villanelle frowned and shrugged.

"Warn me of what?"

Konstantin sighed.

"Eve won't be coming with you."

"What? Why?"

"Her husband found out. He got to Carolyn. She has made...arrangements for Eve to be taken away."

Villanelle's anger boiled over.

"What?! Taken where?!"

Konstantin sighed.

"Villanelle, I came here to tell you to stop. This thing between you and Eve, you see how it doesn't work. Please, come home."

"London is my home now!"

"But weren't you planning on leaving it?" Konstantin questioned.

Villanelle bared her teeth and she snarled at him;

"My home is wherever she is. Now tell me where they're taking her."

**A/N: So Villanelle is off to save Eve. Things will get bloody from here, stay tuned and thanks for reading x **


	6. Chapter 6

**Six**

Konstantin chased Villanelle as she walked briskly along the street, checking car doors, seeing which ones were unlocked, much like she had done in Rome when she told Eve she would get them a car.

"You can't get to her, Villanelle. They'll have her guarded." He called out.

She wasn't listening.

"There's too many of them and only one of you. Your chances of going up against them aren't good, you know that!"

"I don't care." Villanelle said as she tried yet another car door.

People in London were really security conscious.

"You won't be able to get to her. They won't give her up easily."

Like that had ever mattered to Villanelle.

"Then I'll kill everyone until they give her to me."

Konstantin sighed.

"It won't be easy."

"I know."

Villanelle glanced over her shoulder when she realised that Konstantin had stopped walking.

She turned to look at him.

His smoky blue-grey eyes looked sad but he shrugged and she knew what it meant, for her anyway.

"I have a car. If you are serious about this, I'll take you to her."

Villanelle didn't smile. She only nodded and walked back to him as he lead her towards his car.

...

An Hour Earlier...

Eve felt nervous as she dragged her suitcase out into the street. The moon was a bright crescent in the sky and the stars were barely visible but it was a cool night and for the first time, Eve felt that she could breathe.

She imagined Villanelle's smiling face.

She would be here soon.

She heard footsteps and turned around, a relieved smile on her face but then she realised that the footsteps were too heavy and she saw Niko instead, following him was Carolyn and then blue lights lit up the street complete with that ear splitting noise she was so used to hearing after years of living in London.

Eve backed up against the wall that lined the front garden of her home.

No.

This wasn't right.

The cars stopped and policemen got out. Niko stood back as Carolyn walked towards her.

"Eve, you have to come with us."

Eve looked around wildly, felt like a caged animal, trapped and being forced into a situation she wasn't comfortable with.

"What's going on?" Eve asked her.

"Niko told us everything. You can't leave with Villanelle. The Eve Polastri that I know wouldn't run away with a psychopath."

"But we...I..." Eve didn't know how to defend herself or her choices.

Carolyn gave her a sympathetic look.

"You're not well, Eve."

"No, no I am. I know I am. This is my choice, this is our choice!" Eve felt her voice rising in pitch and was powerless to stop it.

Niko looked at her with tears in his eyes.

"Eve please...go with Carolyn."

Eve shook her head.

Carolyn sighed, knowing she was against the clock. Villanelle wouldn't just let Eve go. She would be here soon.

She glanced at two of the policemen and nodded.

They came forward and took Eve by the arms, dragging her towards a police car.

"No! No! I won't go! I don't want to! I'm not sick! Niko, you know I'm not sick! Tell them! Tell them, please!" She started screaming.

Another policeman opened the car door and just as Eve was about to be pushed down into the back seat, Villanelle came running towards the crowd of police.

Eve spotted her through the throng of officials.

_Villanelle. _

Konstantin grabbed the assassin, holding her back.

Eve knew he was trying to keep her safe; stop her from rushing into a potentially dangerous situation. Villanelle was good but one against maybe 10, 11, it was too much, even for her.

Tears filled Villanelle's eyes as she looked at Eve, knowing she couldn't get to her. Not yet.

The first policeman pushed Eve into the back seat and shut the door.

Eve stared out of the window at Villanelle, a pleading look in her eyes that begged Villanelle to be smart and stay safe.

Konstantin held onto Villanelle, a tight grip on her upper arm.

Villanelle looked straight into Eve's eyes.

'I will come for you.' She mouthed at her, knowing that Eve could read her lips.

Eve nodded that she understood and gave her a weak smile, a single tear falling down her cheek.

...

Villanelle walked away from Konstantin as he followed her under a bridge.

They were a good distance away now and the traffic had dwindled to nothing and nobody walked around, save for the odd homeless person or drunk idiot who was lost.

"Villanelle!" Konstantin shouted.

The assassin stopped under the bridge, the yellow streetlight casting an alien-like glow about her.

"You stopped me from going to her! I could have gotten her out!"

"No you wouldn't! There were too many police, Villanelle! You would have been killed!"

"I could've taken them! But you stopped me and now Eve is gone and I don't know where they've taken her!"

She was raging now, tears threatened to come forward and it shocked Konstantin. He'd seen Villanelle fake all these emotions but this was real. He didn't know if this was the response she thought she should have or if she really was feeling everything.

How could she?

She was a psychopath. They didn't feel. Well, they didn't feel much anyway.

Konstantin sighed and walked slowly towards her, hands held up in a non threatening way.

Villanelle crinkled her nose and glared at him.

"What are you doing?"

"I am coming to give you a hug and I don't want you to stab or shoot me."

Villanelle paused and then she raised an eyebrow.

"I left my gun at the hotel but I do still have my knife."

Konstantin gave her a small smile.

"I thought so...promise you won't use it on me?"

Villanelle looked like she was thinking about it but he knew her; she wouldn't kill him. If it was true that she was feeling something, whatever it was, she would welcome his affection.

She then let out a breath and opened her arms to him like a child would.

He came forward and hugged her.

He wouldn't lie, part of him was waiting for the cold bite of metal in his flesh but she simply hugged him back and it never came.

Instead Villanelle let a few tears escape as she muttered into his jacket;

"I don't want to lose her, Konstantin."

He rubbed her back soothingly.

"You won't. You will find her again."

Villanelle sighed and her grip on him tightened a little more.

"Thank you."

Konstantin froze.

Villanelle was certainly changing. It was odd, disconcerting but at the same, a little moving to see someone who was so far removed from the norm, show a little compassion, a little emotion.

He wondered how long it would last or would she just go back to being Villanelle; cold blooded assassin and psychopath, pride of the Twelve, or she used to be, because this thing between her and Eve, it couldn't last...could it?

Eve was...normal.

Villanelle...wasn't.

Konstantin smiled a little as he remembered what Villanelle had always said.

Normal is boring.

...

Eve knew this building.

Just before they'd gone to Rome, Eve had visited this place to seek advice and the last thing that had been said to her was now starting to feel like a prediction;

'you don't want to end up in here.'

Two officials held her by the arms as she was escorted through the building.

"Where-where are you taking me?" Eve stuttered.

They didn't say anything, just pushed her into a room that looked more like a cell and locked the door.

Eve looked around.

They thought she was insane?

Eve started to panic.

She had to get out of here. She was going to leave with Villanelle tonight, they were going to run away from all of this and just be regular people.. That was the plan, wasn't it?

**A/N: Sorry, chapter seven will be the bloody one. I just wanted to put in some dialogue of how Villanelle feels about everything, thought it was important. **

**So it was short and sweet but hope you liked just the same. Next chapter will be longer.**

**Thank you if you're still with this story and I'd love to hear your thoughts x **


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven **

**A/N: Just quickly, thank you so much to NotesFromTheChamber for your review, it inspired me to write chapter seven quicker as I'm so pleased to hear you like this fic.**

**So here you go, enjoy!**

* * *

Martin, the psychopath expert sat across from Eve, a sad but almost disappointed look on his face. It appeared that he knew she'd end up in here and when they brought her into his office the next morning, he didn't seem surprised. That was unless Carolyn had called ahead and pre-warned him.

"Good morning, Eve. How was your night?" He asked.

She gave him a look and then sat down in the uncomfortable chair opposite him.

"The bed was hard." Eve muttered.

Martin sighed and lent forward, his elbows resting on the desk.

"I'll get straight to it; you're here because you're in too deep with Villanelle."

Eve frowned, she looked affronted.

"And that's anyone's business, why?"

"Because she's a killer, Eve. She's murdered people. Good people. Remember Bill?"

How could she forget?

Bill had been her best friend and Villanelle had murdered him in cold blood on the dance floor of a nightclub as though he were just another hit.

Eve nodded her head slowly.

Martin looked at Eve, his dark eyes meeting her's.

"I know you're not insane, Eve. But Villanelle...she's having an effect on you, and I understand that you may feel lost and alone-"

"You have no idea what I feel!" Eve suddenly snapped.

Martin remained calm, having dealt with all this before.

"Then tell me."

Eve let out a breath.

"I hate myself most of time. I did something terrible and I can never fix it. I made a whole mess of things and instead of getting the support I need, I'm left alone and the only one who hasn't left me is Villanelle, so why shouldn't I want to go with her?"

Martin sat back.

"You feel you need her."

Eve looked down, feeling ashamed.

"Some part of me does. We're...we're the same."

"And why would you compare yourself to a psychopath?"

Eve licked her lips.

She couldn't admit to what she'd done. She couldn't reveal that she'd killed Raymond, that would make her a target for The Twelve, if she wasn't already.

She must have not said anything for a long time because Martin cleared his throat, causing her to look up.

"Sorry, um...what-what was the question?"

Martin gave her a curious look and then steepled his fingers.

"I think maybe some time in here would do you good. I know you're not insane but look at it this way, Villanelle can't get to you here."

...

The gates were very high. A security guard was on site, standing in a little box.

That must be a way in.

Villanelle walked up to the box and tapped on the glass.

The security guard turned and smiled at her.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes actually, I was wondering, could I use your phone?" Villanelle asked in a British accent.

"Erm well, I can't really let anyone in the security box you see."

"I won't be long. It's just my dad was supposed to pick me up and he didn't and now I have to call a taxi and my phone's out of credit. I swear I am having the worst night ever." Villanelle said, piling it on.

The security guard looked around and then nodded, opening the door to her.

"Alright but be quick." He said nervously, probably afraid that if he got caught, they'd fire him.

"Thank you so much."

The security guard nodded and then stepped back as Villanelle reached for the phone and began dialling an unknown number.

"What was that?" Villanelle asked suddenly and the guard turned to look in the direction she was looking in. It gave her enough time to wrap the phone wire around his neck and pull very hard.

The guard struggled, trying to free the wire from his neck as Villanelle kept pulling. His face went purple then blue until finally he stopped and sank to the floor. Villanelle let go when she was certain he wasn't getting back up again and then pressed the button to open the gates.

She walked out of the security box and strolled through the gates and into the grounds of the mental hospital.

She knew there would be more guards the closer she got but this didn't bother Villanelle; all she was interested in was getting Eve out so they could get away from this place.

Sure enough as she reached the doors that would lead into the mental hospital, a guard appeared and his eyes widened when he saw her. This caused a tiny thrill to go through Villanelle; they knew who she was, they knew what she was and they were scared.

The guard reached for his walkie-talkie but Villanelle lunged, slicing her knife across his throat, turning his call for help into a wet gurgle.

She stepped over his body as it fell at her feet and pushed on the door that the guard had come from. It opened and she stepped inside.

A red light came on and lit up the corridor and an alarm started blaring.

Villanelle ignored it all and went to the front desk as though she were a normal visitor.

Someone sat behind the desk, it seemed that no one slept in these places and what with so many lunatics in here, you couldn't wonder at it.

The woman stared up at Villanelle with wide terrified eyes.

"Good evening, I'm looking for someone." Villanelle said pleasantly, not bothering to hide her Russian accent.

"Who-who are you l-looking for?" The woman stuttered.

"Eve Polastri." Villanelle said, playing along, she knew the woman was stalling.

It wouldn't do her any good but then she didn't know that, did she?

The woman clicked on her computer and Villanelle tilted her head wondering if this was all for show or if the woman was genuinely looking her up.

"I-I can't seem to..." The woman trailed off as Villanelle pointed the knife at her, a cold smile on her face.

"Here's the deal, you tell me where Eve Polastri is and I won't make a mess of your face."

The woman swallowed audibly and licked her lips, her gaze went to behind Villanelle and she heard running as more men came from around the corner.

Villanelle sighed, rolling her eyes then looked at the woman, whispering;

"I'm not done with you yet."

Then she turned to face the men who were taking up fighting stances.

"Gentlemen, this could be so easy. I am here for only one person. Let me take her and no one needs to get hurt."

"We have orders to restrain you." One said, clearly braver than the rest, well...that or just plain stupid.

Villanelle nodded that she understood.

"Ok then."

She ran at them and the first one went down as she slashed her knife across his neck. The second ducked but she slashed at his thigh and he cried out as she went for the third but this one was quick and he kicked out at her shins, causing Villanelle to drop to the floor and slide as the floor was now slick with blood.

The fourth came at her holding what looked like a policeman's baton and started hitting her with it, the sounds echoing off the walls in the corridor.

Villanelle curled into the fetal position before she kicked out and the guard went down as the third one circled her as she got to her feet.

She beckoned him forward and he bared his teeth in anger as he lunged.

Villanelle took this opportunity to thrust her knife upward underneath his jaw and through his skull. He dropped, the knife becoming even more embedded in his head.

Villanelle looked around at the dead bodies and the one who cowered in the corner, clutching his bleeding leg.

The assassin retrieved her knife and wiped the blood from her face, causing it to smear on her right cheek.

Letting out a breath, she went back to the desk and lent on it, looking the woman straight in the eye.

"Now, Eve Polastri's room."

...

Eve had heard the alarm and she knew Villanelle had come for her.

Her heart raced at the thought that she would actually be getting out of here and far away from London as possible.

She heard shouts of pain, curses and the unmistakable sound of bodies hitting the floor.

Strangely, she wondered if Villanelle had left them alive but of course she hadn't. She would've killed them for fun, hell, she was probably enjoying this!

Eve stood back as an orderly came into her room, he looked understandably scared.

"You need to come with me. She knows you're here and she's coming."

Eve stayed where she was.

"What are you doing?! Didn't you hear me?!" The panic in his voice was becoming even more so.

"Oh she heard you, she just doesn't care." Villanelle's voice came from behind him and then he went down in a splash of red too, her knife moving quicker than he could track.

Villanelle smiled at Eve as she went to her, grabbing hold of the dark haired woman and kissing her.

Eve stared at her when the assassin pulled back.

"You have blood on your face." Eve noticed.

Villanelle shrugged.

"Things got a little messy."

She then took Eve's hand, "We need to go. They'll send more."

Eve let herself be dragged along, passed more dead bodies and it didn't hit her that Villanelle had turned this hospital into a massacre until they reached the front desk.

Guard's bodies littered the small lobby, their blood had started to dry on the floor, becoming a darker red and the receptionist was slouched over her chair, a telephone cord wrapped tightly around her neck. It looked like she had suffered the most.

Eve suddenly stopped, staring at the carnage all around her.

Villanelle felt herself being pulled back and she turned back to see that Eve was just standing there.

"Eve?"

"You did all this?" Eve asked even though she knew.

"For you." Villanelle said, a warm smile on her face.

"Why...why did you kill her?"

Villanelle frowned, a little confused.

"The receptionist? She wouldn't tell me where you were at first."

"But she did eventually?"

Villanelle shrugged.

Eve frowned.

"So why kill her?"

"She annoyed me. Can we go now?"

Eve's gaze went to the guards on the floor.

"And them?"

"Eve, I came here for you, what does it matter?"

"It matters because you didn't have to kill them."

"They fought me."

"She didn't!" Eve found herself screaming as she pointed at the dead receptionist.

Villanelle ran her hands down Eve's arms, trying to soothe her.

"Look, I'm sorry people got hurt but I had to get to you. Eve, look, we're almost out. We can go. Please, don't ruin this for us. Again."

Eve looked into Villanelle's eyes and saw...nothing.

Not love.

Not remorse.

Not even a shred of guilt.

Then again, what was she expecting? Villanelle was a psychopath. She didn't feel anything. She couldn't.

Stepping back, Eve moved away from Villanelle and only then did she see something in the assassin's hazel eyes; anger.

"Eve...don't do this, not again." It was said by way of warning.

Eve shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Villanelle but I'm not going anywhere with you."

Eve turned away, turning her back on Villanelle yet again.

"I'm not giving you a choice this time." She heard the assassin growl before something hit her head and everything went dark.

...

The room was a blur as Eve opened her eyes. Her head pounded and she felt strange, like she couldn't move her arms and legs.

When her vision cleared Eve could see Villanelle pacing in front of the window.

Her hazel gaze went to Eve when she heard her groan at the pain in her head.

"I am very disappointed in you." Villanelle told her.

Eve tried to move and found that she couldn't.

"Have you...have you tied me up?"

Villanelle nodded as she continued to pace.

"I didn't have a choice. You would have run."

"Yeah and with good reason. Where are we?" Eve asked, realising that it was best she know if she was still in London or not.

"A safe house."

"In London?"

"Yes in London." Villanelle sighed, still pacing.

"Could you stop doing that?" Eve barked and Villanelle stopped pacing, turning to look at her.

"What is it going to take, Eve?"

"What?"

Villanelle walked over and crouched down in front of her.

"You want me to be normal, is that it?"

Eve opened her mouth to speak and found that she couldn't.

Villanelle shrugged carelessly.

"I could try..."

But she didn't sound like she looked forward to the idea.

Eve frowned.

"Do you even know what normal is?"

"Sure. Get a boring job, live a boring life, don't kill anyone, stay on the right side of the law, you know, all that stuff."

She sort of understood then.

Life could be boring but it could also be fun just...without the killing people part.

"And you could do that? Get a normal job and live just like everyone else...just to be with me?"

Villanelle stared into Eve's eyes.

"I'd do anything for you, Eve."

Eve sat back and let out a breath.

"Okay then...we'll try being normal."

Maybe it was selfish but Eve wanted to see if Villanelle really could be normal. How deep did the psychopath in her run? Could she even be normal?

Eve knew it was wrong, to ask this of Villanelle, just to treat her like some kind of experiment but she had to know and the offer was too tempting to pass up.

They'd tried Villanelle's way, now they would try Eve's.

* * *

**A/N: Haha, normal Villanelle, this should be good! I know I'm the one writing it but I can't wait for you guys to read the next chapter :) I'll update soon x **


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

"So how does this work?" Villanelle asked as she looked down at the local paper spread out before her on the table.

"Well, you pick a job you like the look of and then call the number." Eve explained simply.

"All of these are boring." Villanelle complained.

"That's because they're normal jobs. What about this one?" Eve said, pointing to a position for a mail room assistant.

Villanelle gave her a look.

"I'd rather chew my own arm off."

Eve looked again.

"Ok, well would you like to do something behind the scenes or would you like to interact with people?"

Villanelle thought about this and smiled.

"I think I would like to work with people."

Eve smiled back, seeing progress.

"Ok great! Well how about a sales assistant in a clothes shop? You like fashion and you'd be around people, what do you think?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"I could give it a shot."

"Great! Ok, well phone the number and see if they'll give you an interview."

Villanelle nodded, grabbing her phone and started dialling the number but she paused, looking back at Eve.

"Should I be British?"

"What? No, just be...you, without the murderous intent."

Villanelle rolled her eyes and called the number.

Eve went into the other room to give her some space.

They had decided to stay at the safe house. They couldn't go to any hotels if they wanted to do this right and Niko was still at home, a place where Eve definitely wasn't wanted, especially after he learned that she'd left the safety of the mental hospital.

It had occurred to her during these past few days that what she was doing with Villanelle could be classed as insane.

Eve could hear Villanelle talking but not necessarily what she was saying. The call didn't last long however as Villanelle came into the living room and gestured to her phone.

"He said I didn't sound like what they were looking for."

Eve frowned.

"How is that possible?"

Villanelle shrugged.

Eve gave her a sceptical look.

"What did you say, Villanelle?"

"Just that I liked fashion and I am willing to be aggressive to help with shoplifters."

Eve's frown deepened.

"Why would you say that?"

"Have you not seen the issue in retail? Theft is a big deal in London."

"It's a big deal for everyone! But that doesn't mean you can just say things like that!"

Villanelle's hazel eyes widened a little.

"I thought it showed enthusiasm!"

Eve put her head in her hands.

"Ok, here's what we'll do next; I will get you the interview and all you have to do is show up and act-"

"Normal." Villanelle finished for her in that same bored tone.

Eve let out a breath and crouched down in front of Villanelle who had taken a seat on the couch and was now looking like a child that had just been told she couldn't go to the park because it was raining.

Eve took Villanelle's hands in her's.

"I really want this to work, Villanelle. I know it's going to be hard but you can do this."

"What if I can't? If I can't be...normal then I lose you, don't I?"

Eve looked down for a minute as she thought about her answer.

"Let's just see how this goes."

Villanelle let out a breath and nodded.

I'll call that guy back and see if I can get you an interview, sound good?" Eve reasoned.

Villanelle nodded but she still didn't look happy about it.

Amazingly enough, Villanelle sailed through the interview and she was due to start in two days time.

Eve was pleased and proud of her.

"I was wondering, did you want to go shopping?"

Villanelle raised an eyebrow.

"With you?"

"Yes, for...work clothes."

The assassin frowned.

"What's wrong with the clothes I already have?"

Eve's eyes darted nervously around as she thought of the best way to put this to the psychopath.

"Don't get me wrong they're really nice but they're just not...workplace...appropriate."

Villanelle got up, going over to her as Eve sat on the edge of the low coffee table.

"Do you know how much they cost? The clothes I have are so much better than whatever shit they are selling in there."

Eve nodded.

"I know but..." Eve trailed off with a sigh.

"You know what we said about acting normal? Well this is it. You can't go to work in that pink flamboyant dress or those shiny silver pants-"

"I love those!" Villanelle cut in, sounding childlike.

"I know but please just..."

"Be normal, I know." Villanelle said, looking down again.

Eve stood and gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head. Villanelle immediately responded and also stood, wrapping her arms around Eve's waist.

"Shall we go upstairs?"

"Uh...I thought we were going shopping."

Villanelle rolled her eyes.

"Oh, right, the normal thing. Ok fine, where are we going?"

...

Villanelle looked up at the shopping centre.

"A mall?"

Eve nodded with a smile on her face.

"Yes, where else would we go?"

Villanelle turned to Eve, giving her a lazy smile.

"Eve, I have money and a lot of it. We could go anywhere; Regents Street, Knights Bridge, Kensington, Bond, Street, all those expensive places in London but instead you take me to a mall?"

Eve nodded.

"Yes. It's all part of you being normal. Including what you buy and wear."

Villanelle raised an eyebrow.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're trying to turn me into something you would prefer? I feel like an experiment." She grumbled.

Eve held her breath.

That's exactly what she was at the moment, whether Eve's feelings for Villanelle would actually become something, that was a different story altogether but then it wouldn't pay for the blonde assassin to know that, now would it?

"Don't be silly. Come on, let's see if we can get you something to wear for work."

Eve linked her arm through Villanelle's and urged her towards the mall.

Villanelle hated everything that Eve picked out for her.

"No."

"This?" She asked, holding up an emerald green shirt.

"No."

"How about this?"

A pair of tan slacks.

"No."

"This is cute." Eve said as she held up a top that was pale pink with lacey shoulder panels.

"No."

Eve hung her head in defeat.

"I-I give up. There's just no pleasing you."

Villanelle frowned a little at Eve's tone and then let out a small sigh.

"I have an idea; get yourself a coffee, you look like you need one and I will go shopping by myself."

Eve looked at her sceptically.

"And you'll actually buy something?"

Villanelle nodded.

"Something I'll think is normal?"

Villanelle gave her the sweetest smile she could.

"You'll love it."

Eve sat down with her coffee and let herself relax as she prayed that Villanelle wouldn't kill anyone. She knew how some people in shops could be and she wondered if Villanelle being used to the expensive places would be able to understand that middle class people were not treated the same most times, purely because of money and the lack of it.

It stood to reason; you had enough money and you could buy anything; this was what Villanelle was used to.

A few hours later, Villanelle came up with her arms full and a bright smile on her face.

Eve felt relieved more than anything.

"So you did well then?"

"I did! I surprised myself. I don't care for some of these sales assistant's attitudes but I suppose they wasn't all bad."

Eve chuckled.

"See? You're becoming normal even as we speak."

Eve could've kicked herself at the face Villanelle made which told her she didn't care for that at all.

"Anyway, you ready to go home?"

Villanelle nodded.

Back at home or their safe house which was more accurate, Villanelle showed Eve what she had bought. It was stylish yet in keeping with this new life of her's. Villanelle admitted that it hadn't been easy but in the end, she'd ended up sort of enjoying it.

"I have one more thing to show you." Villanelle said.

Eve nodded, caught up in Villanelle's excitement.

Villanelle grabbed a small pink bag and headed upstairs.

"Come up when I call you." She said over her shoulder.

Eve gave her back an amused frown but nodded that she would.

Villanelle didn't need to look to know that Eve would do as she asked.

About half an hour later, Villanelle called Eve upstairs.

Eve went into the bedroom and sat on the bed while she waited for Villanelle to come out of the bathroom.

She wondered what else she'd bought and then she remembered that Villanelle had yet to show her her outfit for work, that's probably what was taking so long.

"Are you ready?" Villanelle called from the bathroom.

"Sure am." Eve said.

She heard the bathroom door click and then the sound of Villanelle's bare feet on the carpet.

She stopped in the doorway and Eve's lips parted.

Villanelle grinned triumphantly.

"I knew you'd like it."

She looked amazing.

She wore this simple black lacy slip that hugged her in all the right places and had left her dark blonde hair long. It turned out that her feet were not bare at all and she had on matching black stockings which were attached by straps to her underwear.

Eve tried to get her mouth to work but found it more difficult that usual.

"You look uh...you look...great..."

Villanelle stalked towards her.

"Perhaps you'd like to take it off me, hm?"

Eve moved back on the bed.

"Oh I don't know..."

"Come on, Eve, don't go shy on me now." Villanelle purred as she crawled towards her on the bed like a cat.

Eve panicked slightly.

"I don't think...I would, I want to-it's just I'm very tired and it's been a long day-"

Villanelle frowned down at her.

"We've had sex before. Don't you want to again?"

"I do, of course I do but we have to work on being normal first."

Villanelle looked down at herself.

"This is normal. I've seen women do this plenty of times."

"I know but those women are married most of the time." Eve said hurriedly.

"So you want me to marry you-"

"No! God no!"

"Then what? Eve, you are not making sense."

"I don't want to have sex with you, Villanelle!" Eve blurted.

Villanelle sat back on her heels, looking disappointed and maybe even a little hurt, if she could feel that at all.

"It's not that you don't look incredible, I mean of course you do! Look at you!" Eve exclaimed.

Villanelle's tear filled eyes met Eve's.

"Then why don't you want me?"

Eve fought for the right thing to say but she knew that whatever she said to Villanelle now wouldn't make her feel any better.

"I just...I don't know, it just feels weird at the moment."

Villanelle looked away but she still looked like she might cry.

"Villanelle...come here." Eve said gently, opening her arms to her.

Villanelle crawled forward and rested her head on Eve's lap as Eve began to stroke her hair.

"Let's just stay like this for tonight, is that okay?" Eve asked carefully.

Villanelle nodded as Eve continued to stroke her hair and Villanelle curled up, her fists pressed in close to her chest.

When Eve turned her head to look out the window, a single tear escaped from the assassin's eye.

...

Villanelle let out a breath before she walked into the clothes shop on the high street.

The manager, a small man with a receding hairline and a penchant for tweed, came towards her, extending his hand.

"Villanelle, welcome! How are you feeling about your first day here?"

Villanelle looked at the store, at a few of the customers and a few of the sales assistants that she would be working alongside.

"Optimistic." She said, forcing a small smile.

Eve had told her to use that word whenever she wasn't sure about something.

"Good, good. Let's get you settled in, shall we?"

It had been an hour and Villanelle had gone from working on the front counter to being stashed away in the fitting room.

She'd been with a particularly fussy customer for about ten minutes and her anger was getting the better of her.

"Do you have this in red?" He asked.

"No, sorry sir, we don't have that colour."

"Oh, I would've thought a clothes shop would stock all colours." He said, clearly pissed off.

Villanelle shrugged, unsure of what to say.

"I'm going to try on the the black trousers again, get them for me." He ordered with a click of his fingers.

Villanelle's eyes widened a little and she turned away to fetch the trousers.

"Oh and be quick, I have a meeting in fifteen minutes."

Villanelle turned away and grabbed the trousers then went back to the customer and handed them to him. He snatched them and then went to change while she waited outside.

He came out wearing them and looked himself up and down in the mirror.

He reminded her of Aaron peel a little. Controlling, bossy, egotistical.

"Hmm...they would look better in brown but I guess if this is all you have and since you didn't have the red tie to go with it, I'll have to find another colour in that too. Get me the green one, quickly."

Villanelle looked at him and nodded.

"I think a belt might go well with those particular trousers sir, may I get you one?"

"What? Oh, yes, yes just be quick about it." He muttered as he waved her away.

Villanelle came back with just the belt.

"I'll get the tie in a second but here's the belt."

He went to take it from her when she held it back, giving him a small grin.

"Allow me to help you put it on."

He grinned back.

"Oh...okay then. If you insist."

Pervert.

Villanelle followed him into the changing room, after making sure no one had seen her and locked the door.

"Turn around."

He did as he was told and she snapped the belt behind him. He flinched a little but she could tell he was getting off on this.

"So do you think the belt will complete the look?"

"Oh most definitely." She said before she quickly looped the belt over his head and pulled hard, crushing his windpipe as it made contact with his neck.

He kept pulling and struggling but Villanelle held on tight, pulling as hard as she could.

"This is what you get for clicking at me. I am here to help you, not serve you, you piece of shit." She hissed in his ear before giving one final tug and hearing his neck snap.

She then let out a breath and left the changing room, feeling a lot better.

As she left the changing rooms, a sales assistant passed her.

"You done for the day?" She asked.

Villanelle smiled.

"Just going on my break. This job makes you work up an appetite, yes?"

The girl nodded.

"It certainly does."

Villanelle was still smiling to herself when she entered the break room and sat down.

A few minutes later, she heard a scream.

They'd found him then.

**A/N: Villanelle might have more fun at work than she originally thought she would but just how long can she get away with it?**

**More fun to come in the next chapter! **

**Thank you for reading and again, all thoughts welcome x **


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

The manager looked at Villanelle as she sat in front of his desk looking a little shaken.

"I understand why you don't want to work here anymore." He said, his grey eyes darting from her face to the desk and back again.

"For something like that to happen on your first day...it must have been horrible for you."

Villanelle nodded.

"I've never seen a dead body before."

The manager nodded and gave her a sympathetic look.

"Obviously I'll pay you for the day and it is a shame that your employment here didn't last long but I think you would've been happy here."

"Me too but I just can't work here knowing what happened."

"No, of course, I completely understand. Will you be alright getting home?"

Villanelle nodded and sniffed a little.

"Yes, I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern."

The manager nodded and got up to open the door for her.

Villanelle walked out slowly but once she was outside, she started striding for the coffee shop, ready to phone Eve and tell her what had happened.

Once she'd ordered a coffee, Villanelle took out her phone and dialled Eve's number.

_"Hello?"_

"Hi, Eve. How are you?"

_"Good. How's the job going?"_

There was a pause.

"Oh it's not. There was an accident at work today and the manager thinks I might be jinx so he fired me!" Villanelle lied, putting on her best 'can you believe it' voice.

"What? That's so unfair! I should just call that little weasel and tell him-"

"No, no, Eve. You don't need to do that. It just shows that it wasn't the right job for me."

Eve paused.

"Okay...if you're sure."

"I am."

"Ok, well when you come home, we'll find you something else."

Villanelle winced at the thought of having to attend yet another interview. She'd never had to do anything like that in her life!

"Sounds good."

Eve sounded pleased.

"We will find you something, Villanelle. I promise."

"I know. Speak to you soon."

"Ok then."

Eve hung up and Villanelle slouched back in her seat.

Another job...wonder what that'll be.

This one was a little more involved but not too much to do with people; an office job.

Villanelle knew as soon as she walked in just how bored she would be.

She'd had a phone interview and that had been fine but now it was her first day and she was three hours in when she knew she wouldn't be able to hang onto this one either.

The manager of her department, she had forgotten what department she worked in and didn't really care enough to ask, was a brisk woman who could be very demanding and very abrupt, something Villanelle didn't like at all.

But she knew for Eve's sake, she couldn't walk out on the first day. She would at least have to complete nearly a week, otherwise Eve might start getting suspicious.

So she gave it nearly a week like she'd promised herself; she'd put up with deadlines, scornful looks, reprimands when she didn't do something right, pranks from some of the immature men in the cubicles next to her, (the last one she'd put a pencil through his hand and told him not to say anything because no one would believe him anyway) Villanelle noticed that he'd moved to another desk since then.

On Thursday afternoon, Villanelle congratulated herself that she hadn't killed anyone, Eve would be proud but the assassin was still bored.

Just as she was about to go home, her boss sauntered up to her desk and dropped a file onto it.

"Before you go, I need these typed up."

Villanelle eyed the file and how thick it was.

"All of them?"

"Yes. Do it."

Villanelle glanced at the clock on the wall, it's ticking reminding her that she was still here when she could be heading towards the train station by now.

"But I was going home."

"And now you're not. Get to it."

Villanelle glared at the woman as she moved past her.

That was it.

Enough.

The next morning, Villanelle was telling Eve about the office job.

"It was awful, I got a call this morning and they told me she was dead."

Eve's eyes widened.

"So she just fell down the stairs...what a horrible way to go."

Villanelle shovelled a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

"I don't think she suffered if it makes you feel any better."

Eve sat back and looked at Villanelle.

"So what's next for you? Are you going back there?"

Villanelle shook her head as she pushed her cereal around the bowl.

"No. For some reason, they think it was me."

"Oh I wonder why."

Villanelle smiled a little.

"They don't know what I do...what I did. But it was her fault anyway, she told me to stay after work and I just happened to be the only one left in the building with her. It's not my fault she's clumsy."

Eve nodded.

"Hm hm. Ok, so have they named you officially?"

"No but this girl I work with, she said the other team members are looking at me. Sucks being the new girl, right?"

"Oh yeah, it can do. So I guess we'll be looking at a new job for you today then."

Villanelle bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming.

"Okay."

For the next six months, Villanelle went through an array of jobs and all had ended badly;

she worked as a library assistant. One of the girls died after a bookcase fell on her.

Then she was a parking attendant. A driver was impaled by his own windscreen wiper.

Next came the warehouse job. A man got crushed under the lift at the loading dock.

At the aquarium. A man was drowned and eaten by the piranhas he was trying to feed, it was said that he lent a little too far over the tank.

She then tried her hand in a bakery. Her mentor found herself burnt to a crisp when she'd tripped and fallen into the oven. It was a big oven.

The last job she'd tried and Eve had had enough.

She waited for Villanelle to come in from her current job as a waitress at some local cafe and waited for the explanation of some freak accident.

But this time when Villanelle came through the door, she had blood down the front of her uniform.

"What happened this time? One of your customers choke on a mushroom, fell forward and stabbed himself through the eye with a fork?" Eve asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Villanelle shrugged.

"No, not this time."

"What happened then?" Eve asked, sitting back and folding her arms.

Villanelle looked down at the blood and smiled a little, just a twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"One of the cooks tried to have sex with me. He's dead now."

Eve's lips parted.

"Oh...ok, well that's...understandable."

Villanelle nodded.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Eve nodded silently as Villanelle went upstairs to wash the blood and smell of greasy food off of herself.

When she came back down, dressed in her blue and white tiger robe with her hair slightly damp, Eve had the paper spread out on the kitchen table, it was turned to the jobs section.

"Already?" Villanelle asked, a whine to her voice.

"Well you need another job." Eve said simply.

Villanelle sat down heavily in the chair.

"I think with my run of bad luck that the normal job thing doesn't suit me."

"Oh is that what it is? Bad luck. That's all there is to it?"

Villanelle shrugged.

Eve sat forward, her eyes narrowing.

"Bullshit."

"What? Eve I don't know what you mea-"

"Oh come on, Villanelle! Every single job you've had someone has died! First day you work at a nice little clothes store and a man hangs himself! You work at an office for not even a week and your boss falls down the stairs, stairs she's been using for over twenty five years!"

"It happens." Villanelle said defensively.

"Don't give me that crap! It's happening wherever you go! The aquarium, a guy dies whilst feeding piranhas, it's like something out of a horror movie! You can't make this shit up!"

Villanelle just looked at Eve. She didn't say anything and Eve let out a breath.

"Just be honest with me. I won't get mad but all these jobs, all these accidents...it was you, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Goddammit, Villanelle!"

Villanelle jumped back in her chair as Eve surged to her feet, fury written all over her face.

"You said you wouldn't be mad."

"I lied! What were you thinking?! Why kill all those people?! If you don't like the job, just leave! You didn't have to kill anyone!"

"It's what I do, Eve." Villanelle suddenly snapped.

Eve looked down at her.

"It's who I am. I tried doing the normal thing. It's not for me."

Eve slumped down in the chair and Villanelle reached across the table, taking Eve's hand in her's.

"I did it for you. To show you that I'm serious about us."

Eve nodded her head slowly.

"I know."

Villanelle stroked her thumb over the back of Eve's hand.

"So what now?" She asked softly.

Eve used her free to hand to rake her hair back.

"Honestly, I don't know."

Villanelle offered her a small smile.

"We could go to Alaska, like we talked about in Rome, remember?"

"Yeah I remember, right before you shot me." Eve said, bitterness in her voice.

Villanelle shrugged.

"Yes, well you stabbed me in Paris, so we're even."

"Even?"

Villanelle smiled.

"As I told you, we are the same."

Eve shook her head.

"We're not. What you did...killed those people just because you didn't like the job...I could never do that."

Villanelle didn't believe her.

"I think you could. You've only ever killed one person, Eve. Make a habit out of it and soon it becomes just like everything else. You won't even think twice about it."

Eve looked in the assassin's hazel eyes.

"But you do, don't you? You like watching them die. You have that power over them...that's the only time you feel anything that's real."

"And when I'm with you."

Eve snatched her hand back.

"No. you _think_ you feel something with me. I think you just want to and you've made yourself believe that you do."

Villanelle's smile slipped and her eyes hardened as she drew her own empty hand back slowly across the table.

"And who do you think you'd be without me, hm? Let's face it, Eve your life was pretty boring until you met me."

Eve frowned.

"At least it was normal."

"Yeah, boring."

"I had a life, I had a job, I had Niko...I had friends."

"And now you have me and some really nice clothes."

Eve flashed back to when Villanelle had told her that back in her flat in Paris. She'd said it as though the nice clothes made up for her losing her best friend to this psychopath.

"You think that's all I want?"

"Isn't it? You've been chasing me for months, Eve. Who does that if they have no interest in the person?" Villanelle questioned.

"I wanted to put you away." Eve snapped.

"But you didn't. You had your chance, a few times now actually and yet, here I am, in this safe house, with you."

Eve couldn't argue that. She'd often asked herself a few times why she hadn't just handed Villanelle over to the officials and let her rot away in some prison cell.

Maybe there was something in Villanelle that called to Eve. Some dark side of her that Eve knew she must have in her and that Villanelle could connect with.

This normal thing they'd tried, Villanelle had thought it was to prove that she wanted to be with Eve no matter what life they led but to Eve, it had been an experiment.

If Villanelle ever found that out, Eve would dread to think just what she'd do and not just to her.

Villanelle sat forward a little, getting Eve's attention again.

"What do you really want, Eve?"

Eve looked Villanelle in the eye and took a breath.

"I want my normal, boring life back."

Villanelle nodded after a minute, seeming to think about it.

"Okay."

Eve blinked.

"That's it? I can just...go home?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"If Niko will have you."

"Of course he will. He loves me." Eve said indignantly.

Villanelle smirked.

"Even after he learns that you let me fuck you?"

Eve stared at her and Villanelle tutted.

"I think on some level he knows anyway." She whispered.

Villanelle then sat back and looked down at the table, running her finger around a dig in the wooden top.

"Still, it would mean so much more having it confirmed, wouldn't it?"

"Why do you want to ruin my life so much?"

This time hazel eyes locked with dark.

"I want you with me so that you can be who you were meant to be."

"I am not meant to be like you."

Villanelle nodded.

"That's what I thought too until I met Anna...and then I realised who I was. There is nothing like your first." She said almost wistfully.

"She was the first woman you ever loved." Eve noted, even though she already knew that.

Villanelle frowned.

"I meant your first kill but yeah ok, that too."

Eve raised an eyebrow.

"Oh...ok."

Then a thought occurred to her; Villanelle was being open, honest, even if she didn't realise it, so maybe it was time to really talk to her before the psychopath side decided that she didn't want this conversation anymore.

"When you met Anna, what did you feel?"

"I liked her. She was my teacher, she cared about me. I spent a lot of time with her and after a while I knew I loved her." Villanelle explained with a simple shrug.

"Did you tell her you loved her?"

"Yes. She was kind to me. She went along with it."

Villanelle then chuckled.

"Her husband thought she was helping out a poor, lonely kid."

Eve licked her lips, knowing Villanelle would soon tell her about Anna's husband's murder. She wanted to know and at the same time she didn't.

"You didn't like her husband?"

Villanelle frowned, scrunching her nose up in a look that mirrored disgust.

"No. He held her back. Stopped her from being with me. She wouldn't leave him."

Eve remembered when Anna had told her that Villanelle had once said the only reason she stayed with her husband was because he had a dick.

She'd soon seen to that though hadn't she.

Eve nodded along as she listened to Villanelle recount her story.

"How did you feel...the night you killed him?"

Villanelle's eyes glazed over for a second as she remembered.

"Alive...I'd felt nothing for so long and when I killed him, castrated him...I felt...powerful. Alive."

A smile played across Villanelle's lips as her eyes met Eve's.

"I'd never felt like that before."

"And Anna...?"

Villanelle shook her head.

"She didn't understand why I'd done it. She called me evil. Said she never wanted to see me again."

"That must have hurt." Eve said, her voice completely sympathetic.

Villanelle shrugged.

"Anna was scared of her own shadow. She would not have lasted long with me anyway."

Eve frowned.

"And what makes you think that?"

Villanelle took Eve's hand again and this time Eve flinched.

The assassin smirked.

"You are scared of me."

"N-no. It's just knowing what you did-"

"You know what I am, why does it shock you?"

"Because I've never heard you talk about it before...it's a lot to take in."

Villanelle nodded.

"I am just telling you what happened."

Eve nodded.

"I know..."

Villanelle tilted her head a little and her smirk widened just a fraction.

"Do you think I would do the same to Niko?"

Eve's eyes filled with fear and she could've sworn that Villanelle's grip on her hand tightened just a little.

"Maybe staying away from him would be safer...for him." Villanelle said, her voice eerily calm.

"Stay with me, Eve... I'd hate for you to end up like Anna."

**A/N: NotesFromTheChamber, your reviews keep me going with this so thank you so much! x **


	10. Chapter 10

**Ten**

Konstantin sat at the small table outside the cafe that he'd agreed to meet her at.

It was unusual for her to reach out like this, especially to him but he cared and he wanted to know what was going on with his favourite assassin.

It was chilly this early in the morning but Konstantin being from Russia was used to it and it didn't bother him.

His head raised slightly as she came around the corner and pulled out the chair opposite.

"Thank you for meeting with me."

Konstantin nodded.

"No problem. Now why did you want to see me?"

Eve sighed.

She didn't think she'd ever be reaching out to Konstantin but there was no one that Eve knew of who knew Villanelle as well as he did. Eve thought she knew her but the more involved she got with Villanelle, the more confused she found herself until she realised that she might even have to admit she was in way over her head with this.

"I need to speak with you about Villanelle."

Konstantin nodded but there was a look on his face, almost sardonic, like he thought she seriously didn't think he thought she'd invited him here to talk about the cafe's pastries.

"How is she?" He asked.

Eve nodded.

"She tried having a normal job...several actually." Eve added under her breath.

Konstantin laughed loudly.

"Villanelle?! A normal job?! Eve, she's not cut out for that life."

Eve nodded.

"I know that now..."

"Tell me, how many people did she kill?"

Eve sighed and glanced away sheepishly.

"All of them."

Konstantin chuckled and nodded his head.

"Eve, when are you going to realise? Villanelle, she's incredible yes, but she is a psychopath."

"You love her." Eve said defensively.

Konstantin nodded.

"I do because she's the best thing that ever happened to me and I told her that when she tried to kill me back in Russia but Eve, she cannot have a normal life. It will bore her. She's good at what she does. Leave her to it."

Eve shook her head and then lowered her voice, leaning across the table slightly.

"She wants me to do it, too."

This time, Konstantin frowned.

"Why?"

"She says we're the same. Konstantin, she's nuts!" Eve hissed.

"Have you killed before?"

Eve paused and then nodded her head slowly as the memory of hacking Raymond to bits replayed itself in her head. She closed her eyes to block it out.

"Would you kill again?" He asked.

"What? No, no of course I wouldn't."

"She must see something in you to make her think that."

Eve shrugged.

"Did she see the same thing in Anna?"

Konstantin shook his head.

"No. Anna cared for Villanelle but she was never a killer. Villanelle liked to spoil Anna, make her feel special."

Eve listened, trying to take in everything Konstantin was saying while trying to piece together the enigma that was Villanelle.

"I don't know what to do...I can't be with her. Not like she wants me to."

"I told you to make her hate you. Instead you do the opposite and run away with her. To make her hate you now will take a lot."

Konstantin watched as Eve shifted uncomfortably.

"She's in your head, isn't she?"

Eve didn't respond.

"Well if you say you can't be with her then you don't love her so thankfully you haven't...you know..."

Eve looked down, shame written all over her face.

"Actually...we have-but only once." She added quickly, as though that would make it all better.

Konstantin glared at her.

"You really are stupid. She feels a connection now-or she thinks she does-because you've slept together!"

He sighed loudly

"This will not be easy."

Eve nodded.

"I know..."

"I have an idea but you have to be all in, Eve. No half measures. You have to be completely committed if you want to shake Villanelle."

He stared into her dark eyes.

"Can you do that?"

"I just want my life back." She said sounding tired.

"It's not possible. She'd never let you go back. not now she's had you. She thinks you belong to her."

Eve frowned.

"I don't...I'm-I'm still married."

Konstantin shook his head.

"This does not matter to her. If she wants you, she'll have you and well, she has but she believes that this is it. She won't give up. She won't lose you. She'd rather kill you than let anyone else have you. Eve, you have to understand how dangerous she is."

"I do! I know what's she's capable of but...there must be something there. She wouldn't feel the way she does if-"

Konstantin banged his fist on the table, his eyes widening with barely controlled anger.

"How do you know how she feels?! Even she doesn't know! She is a psychopath, Eve. They do not feel things like we do! She is beyond redemption. You have to leave her life and then she can go back to doing what she does best."

Eve nodded her head slowly.

Konstantin relaxed slightly.

"Now, I will set everything up but you have to be ready."

Eve nodded.

"I will be."

"If you are not, she will know something is wrong, and you think she loves you? It won't stop her from killing you."

Eve nodded.

An enraged psychopath was a dangerous one, even Villanelle who seemed human at times.

If Eve could just keep in her mind that Villanelle didn't think and feel like a normal person, she would be fine but if she ever lost sight of that again, even the love that Villanelle thought she felt for Eve wouldn't be enough to save her.

...

Eve dropped her keys into the bowl by the door and let out a breath.

"Where have you been? I made breakfast!" Villanelle called from the kitchen.

"Oh just...er walking."

"Walking? You should have woke me. I would have come with you." Villanelle said, her voice a little louder as Eve got closer to the kitchen.

Eve stood in the doorway and took in the sight;

Villanelle lent over the cooker, mixing something around in a frying pan. She looked so normal...so domesticated in her light grey pyjamas and her dark blonde hair clipped up on top of her head, no make up. She looked like any other normal girl and Eve felt a pang of guilt for meeting up with Konstantin behind her back.

Quickly, she put the thought out of her mind and shrugged out of her coat, putting it on the back of the chair and sitting down at the breakfast table.

"What are you making?" Eve asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Eggs. You people here, you like scrambled so I'm trying that." Villanelle said with a tiny frown as she pushed the scrambled eggs around, the hissing sound telling Eve that they may be a little over done.

"I'm sure they'll be lovely." Eve said with a forced smile.

Villanelle smiled herself and then turned off the cooker, grabbed two plates and put the scrambled eggs along with buttered toast on the plates, bringing them over to the breakfast table and setting two glasses of orange juice on the side.

She then took a seat opposite Eve and tried her's first.

Eve watched her eat and watched as her face went from confusion to stoic and then finally to acceptance.

The scrambled eggs were good then.

Eve started to dig into her's, welcoming the distraction while she tried not to think about her meeting with Konstantin. She didn't eat any though, just pushed it around her plate.

"You have something on your mind, Eve?"

Eve nearly jumped at Villanelle's question, as innocent as it was.

"Er, no, nothing much."

"You're not worried about me getting another job are you?" Villanelle asked, sounding worried herself.

Eve shook her head.

"No, no I don't think a normal job is for you."

Villanelle smiled and stabbed at her eggs.

"I'm glad you think so too."

Eve smiled back, her fork hovering over her plate.

Villanelle pointed to her with her own fork.

"You should eat them or they'll get cold."

Eve looked down and began to eat the eggs and toast Villanelle had done.

"This is really good. You've never made this before?"

Villanelle shook her head, her plate was nearly empty.

"No. Not bad, hm?"

"This tastes really good, Villanelle. Maybe you should've been a chef."

Villanelle frowned and shook her head.

"No, all day in a kitchen, too hot. Not fun."

Eve faltered a little.

"No...I suppose not."

Villanelle let her fork clatter onto her plate, making Eve flinch and then she picked up her orange juice, taking a drink.

Eve had a mouthful of eggs and toast when Villanelle spoke up, still holding her glass.

"How is Konstantin?"

Eve froze and her gaze went to Villanelle's hazel eyes as she smirked.

"You think I didn't know you were meeting him? You think I don't check your phone?"

"Villanelle...I only-I mean I called him because-"

"You don't want me anymore." Villanelle said simply.

Eve hated this. She studied the other woman's eyes looking for any kind of emotion, any indication as to what she was feeling but there was simply...nothing.

Was she angry? Sad? Conflicted? Murderous?

Eve couldn't tell and this more than anything, frightened her.

Should she be honest? Lie?

"You don't have an answer for me?" Villanelle questioned, her voice light and her tone calm.

Eve licked her lips nervously.

"What makes you think that I don't want you anymore?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"Why else would you reach out to Konstantin?"

"Maybe I wanted to ask him..." Eve trailed off, she couldn't think of a damn thing to say; no excuse, no easy lie, nothing.

Villanelle sat back, setting her glass back down on the table.

"Ask him what, Eve?"

"I-I thought he would know...what you're-"

"Why are you lying to me, Eve?" Villanelle cut in but her tone wasn't sharp at all.

Her brow had crinkled into a slight frown though.

"I-I'm not lying to you."

"You are. What I don't understand is why? Why can't you just be honest with me? Am I not worth that?"

"No, of course you are. It's just-"

"Then why lie?"

Eve faltered again.

"Just tell me." Villanelle said, making it sound like telling the psychopath the truth about wanting to leave her wouldn't incite her to go on a killing spree, starting with Eve.

Eve let out a breath and looked at Villanelle.

"Alright, you want the truth?"

Villanelle nodded.

"This won't work between us and I went to Konstantin to see if he could help me."

"Help you how?"

"How to...how to leave you without you coming after me."

"Killing you, you mean." Villanelle corrected her.

Eve nodded.

"Yes."

Villanelle tilted her head and the expression on her face would've fooled any other person that she was hurt at that suggestion but Eve knew what she was and what she was capable of.

"You think I would kill you?"

Eve nodded.

"If I left you, yes."

Villanelle glanced at the orange juice and took a sip. On impulse, Eve did the same.

"I told you I loved you." Villanelle said.

Eve nodded.

"I know."

"I tried getting a boring job for you."

"I know."

Villanelle drained the glass and looked at it in her hand.

"You know Konstantin once threw a glass at me." She said as if recalling the memory.

She raised her eyebrows.

"It hurt."

Eve nodded but she didn't know where the assassin was going with this, unless she was planning on doing that to Eve right now.

"Not as much as when he hit me with the log but still..."

Villanelle sighed and Eve kept drinking the orange juice, liking the the way it cooled her throat as it went down, it was refreshing.

"What to do now." Villanelle mused as she looked at the glass then she set it back down on the table and Eve felt relieved that she hadn't thrown it at her.

Suddenly, her hazel eyes locked with Eve's.

"How are you feeling by the way?"

Eve frowned.

"Fine. Why?"

Villanelle shrugged carelessly.

"Maybe it will take some time."

"What...what will?"

Villanelle glanced at the nearly empty glass in Eve's hand and a cold smirk played across her lips.

"You'll start to feel like you can't breath in a minute."

Eve's heart started racing.

"You poisoned me?"

Villanelle didn't respond but she looked calm, collected. The perfect assassin.

"I didn't know if I should put it in the eggs but then I thought if you didn't like it, you'd throw it away but the orange juice, you always finish, so..." She left the sentence open, knowing she didn't need to explain anymore.

Eve coughed a few times and Villanelle glanced at her.

"Does your throat feel dry?" She whispered.

Eve nodded and coughed again.

"You'll feel like it's closing up soon. Your head will spin, you'll feel weak...it's not pleasant but I suggest you don't fight it. The pain doubles when you tense so just try to relax."

Villanelle was explaining all this as though she was talking someone through a panic attack.

She was so calm, nothing phased her and Eve couldn't believe as her head did indeed start spinning, that Villanelle could just watch this happen.

Eve fell from her chair, clutching her throat.

Villanelle stood and crouched down in front of Eve, watching her struggle.

"W-why...?" Eve rasped.

"You tell me. I'm a psychopath, how would I know?"

Eve's vision blurred, then went black then her vision came back into focus, blurred again. Pain snapped at her from inside and she writhed in agony.

Was she dying?

She must be, this was pure torture, there was no coming back from this.

"V-Villanelle...p-p-please..."

Villanelle shushed her gently and stroked her hair.

"Shh...Just let it happen."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I know I'm being a bit of a tease with how short this is but this is just a little taste of what's to come in chapter twelve. Enjoy ;)**

**Eleven**

Lights flickered above her...or was that just because she was moving too fast?

Voices chattered above and at her side.

They were frantic, one looked down at her, a face she didn't recognise.

"You're going to be ok, Eve." She said but she looked concerned.

Eve felt extremely weak but she wanted to sit up, tried and a gentle hand pushed her back down again.

Two doors opened and banged against the wall.

The walls were an ivory colour, bland and basic. More noises entered Eve's ears; telephones, more doors banging, people talking in hushed voices and monitors bleeping.

Then she knew; she was in hospital.

Villanelle had nearly killed her.

With that thought in her head, Eve blacked out again.

...

The rush. The adrenaline. The power.

Villanelle felt it all as she watched the light leave the woman's eyes.

It had been quick; they'd met, fucked and now she was gasping for breath as Villanelle choked her.

She wasn't a mark, a target, just an innocent, well she hadn't acted like an innocent with Villanelle but she was innocent compared to who Villanelle normally killed.

This woman, she looked similar to Eve and that had been enough to set Villanelle off.

The woman's nails which had been digging in to Villanelle's bare arms to try to get her to stop were now limp and not even making a scratch.

The expression in this woman's eyes was one Villanelle had seen many times before;

'Why?' They seemed to silently ask.

Villanelle didn't care how they felt when they were dying, she saw fear-my God, she could smell it even- and there was the second just before their soul completely disappeared where they gave in. It was that second between life and death where maybe they could turn it all around. They looked up at her, begging in silence to see if she would stop, if she would let them live...she rarely did.

Maybe this woman (she couldn't remember her name) would have been one of the rare few but she looked too much like Eve, or rather how Eve had looked.

Villanelle had known there was nothing left for her and Eve, killing the ex MI6 operative had been the only choice left, there was nothing else for Villanelle to do except to remove her from the equation.

Now she could go back to doing what she did best.

Maybe she'd find Konstantin, go back into the freelance business with him as boring as it had been, it was what she was good at and maybe as time went on, Villanelle could find ways to make it more fun again.

The woman went limp and Villanelle dropped her lifeless body onto the hotel bed with a small sigh. She'd thought the woman would have at least fought a little.

After grabbing her coat and slipping it on, Villanelle didn't even look back as she left the hotel room leaving a hefty tip on the serving tray.

That should cover the dry cleaning bill at least.

As Villanelle left the expensive hotel and strode out onto the London streets, she smiled to herself as she breathed in the night air.

She felt good. Powerful. Invincible even but that was just the high after a kill, it wouldn't last and Villanelle knew that.

"So you are on your own again."

Villanelle grinned as she slowed her pace and turned around to see Konstantin leaning back against a wall, smiling at her.

"I am as it happens. Have you been watching me?" Villanelle asked, one eyebrow raised.

Konstantin shrugged.

"Maybe. I wanted to make sure you were not in any trouble."

Villanelle put a hand to her heart in mock hurt.

"Me? Trouble? Now where would you get an idea like that from?"

Konstantin pushed off the wall and walked towards her.

"You've given up on Polastri then."

"Who?" Villanelle asked, pretending not to know who he meant.

"Eve. The woman you claimed to love."

Villanelle waved a hand flippantly.

"Past tense, Konstantin."

"So you don't care what happens to her?"

Villanelle made a noise in her throat and then chuckled darkly.

"She is dead. I have nothing to care about anymore."

Konstantin looked down at his feet and then finally grey-blue eyes met hazel.

"She's not dead, Villanelle."

The assassin stared at him.

"What?"

"She's recovering in hospital. Someone found her and got an ambulance to her just in time."

Villanelle frowned.

"Who? Who found her?"

"She is well protected, Villanelle. Someone is always watching her...and you."

Villanelle let out a noise of irritation.

"I put enough poison in her orange juice to kill a horse." She muttered unhappily.

Konstantin shrugged again.

"So what now?" He asked after a little while of watching Villanelle stand there, her eyes centred on something he couldn't see.

When Villanelle looked up, she had a cold smirk on her face, one he had seen before.

She walked over to him and clapped her hand on his back as they started walking along the street.

"Konstantin...when have you ever known me to leave a job unfinished?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Twelve**

Konstantin put his head in his hands.

"Can you please stop pacing?"

Villanelle walked up and down the hotel bedroom as Konstantin sat on the end of the bed.

"Look, you wasn't to know she would still be alive."

Villanelle ignored him, picking at her bottom lip as she continued to pace.

"Do you have a plan?" Konstantin asked her, trying anything to get her to stop pacing. It was making him dizzy.

Villanelle shook her head but still paced.

"I'm going out." Konstantin mumbled as he got up.

Finally, she stopped pacing and looked worriedly at him.

"Where?"

"For a walk."

"Can I come?"

This was the one thing that Konstantin loved and hated about Villanelle all at the same time.

She was a ruthless, cold-blooded killer but at the same time she acted like a child, someone vulnerable, someone who needed reassurance and to be looked after.

He sighed and put his hands in his pockets.

"Sure."

She smiled a little and followed him outside.

It was a warm day and Villanelle looked up as the sun hit her face, basking in it's warm glow.

"We can't stay in London." Konstantin said suddenly.

"Why not?"

"Because Eve will want your ass more than ever now. You tried to kill her."

Villanelle shrugged.

"I tried to kill her before."

"No, you shot her in the shoulder that time, you were angry but this time, you meant to kill."

Villanelle nodded and let out a breath.

"I did."

"So you plan to kill Eve for good?"

Villanelle nodded.

Konstantin frowned in confusion.

"Here's what I don't get; you had your chance to kill her when she hired you. You were in her house, you had a knife, you could've slit her throat then and there but you didn't."

Again, Villanelle shrugged.

"I loved her then."

"And you don't now?"

Villanelle seemed to think about it for a while and then blinked a few times.

"I don't know."

This only caused Konstantin's frown to deepen.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"If I loved someone, why would I try to kill them?"

Konstantin looked at Villanelle then, really looked at her.

Was she trying to figure out her own mind or did she just not understand it?

She was a psychopath after all, they didn't feel things so how could Villanelle distinguish one type of love from the other?

It wasn't until now that Konstantin found he wanted to understand Villanelle more. When they'd recruited her she'd been a weapon. They didn't care that she didn't think and feel like a normal person, only that she got the job done. She only had the psyche evaluations to make sure she was still loyal to the Twelve and had no hidden agenda or that she was veering off onto a different path.

A thought struck Konstantin as they continued walking.

"Did you kill Anna?"

"No. She shot herself. I told you that."

"How did you feel when she did that?"

Villanelle raised her eyebrows as she thought back to the moment when her ex lover had blown her own brains out.

"A little shocked at first I guess but then I got annoyed. There was no need for her to do that."

"Are you saying you wish she hadn't killed herself?"

"I'm saying I don't care that she killed herself but there was no need for it."

Konstantin sensed that Villanelle was getting annoyed by all these questions, sooner or later she would call him on it and maybe run off somewhere and get herself into even more trouble than she already was.

He decided to switch tactics and talk about something else.

"It's probably best that we leave killing Eve for another time."

Villanelle frowned at him.

"No I don't think so."

"It's not just the police and MI6 that are after you, Villanelle. Eve killed one of their men, they're out for blood and they will come for you."

"Maybe they'll save me the job and kill her for me." Villanelle said flippantly but then her eyes widened slightly.

"No, no they can't. Would they do that?"

Konstantin was getting more and confused by her as time went on, her outbursts unpredictable and changeable.

"You mean you don't want them to kill her?"

"No! It has to be me." Villanelle snapped and Konstantin watched her as she walked on ahead.

...

When Eve awoke this time, she was alone.

No Niko.

No friends.

No work friends.

Nothing.

Then again, what did she expect?

They'd all told her and warned her that getting close to Villanelle was a stupid idea, they didn't understand why she even wanted to have a connection to the psychopath so when Eve looked around and even asked the nurse if anyone had been to see her, she knew she shouldn't be surprised to learn that no one had.

Eve asked when she would be allowed to go home and they told her that she could go home-wherever that was now-in a few days but for now, they wanted to keep her in for observation. They said she'd been poisoned but she knew that and that it was quite strong, to put it in a nutshell, they said she was lucky to be alive.

So Villanelle really had meant to kill her this time.

By the second day, Eve was getting bored but they hadn't released her yet. She knew that being poisoned was suspicious and the officials were treating it as such. She gave nothing away. This was just between herself and Villanelle.

She could handle it.

Eve looked at the door as a nurse came through, smiling warmly at Eve.

"You've just had a phone call. They said to give you a message."

"Oh?" Eve said, brightening slightly.

"I told them I could wake you but they said to let you rest and just give you a message."

"What did they say?"

"She was very nice and she just said to say she would see you soon."

Eve nodded.

"She didn't leave a name? Wait, no of course she didn't." Eve muttered mainly to herself.

Villanelle was coming for her to finish what she'd started...

The ward was dark when Eve opened her eyes. At least she felt like she had rested well enough.

The door swung open but no one came inside; probably just someone walking past.

Then a figure cloaked in shadow stood at the foot of her bed.

Eve sat up, her eyes widening in alarm.

"Villanelle..." She breathed.

"Hello, Eve." Villanelle said calmly, her Russian accent deepening her voice.

"I-I know why you're here."

Villanelle tilted her head to the side.

"Do you?"

"You're here to kill me." Eve stated, her heart racing and sweat dripping down her back.

"Eve...You always think the worst of me."

Eve watched as Villanelle walked around the bed to stand by her side.

Her hazel eyes took in Eve's form and she let out a small sigh.

"I thought you would be different to Anna...but you all end up being the same." Villanelle said, disappointment clear in her voice and it took Eve back to when they were in Rome and Eve had said to Villanelle that she was sorry she'd disappointed her, in so many words.

Eve didn't know what to say this time and as Villanelle bent to place a chaste kiss on her forehead, Eve held her breath.

That was when hands snaked around her neck and squeezed hard, harder still until Eve couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't move.

She tried to scream but Villanelle was cutting off her air supply. She'd be dead soon.

"Eve! Eve! Wake up!"

Eve's eyes flew open to a brightly lit ward and a nurse with a concerned expression, looking down at her.

"It's alright, you're safe."

Eve was breathing hard as she looked around the ward, trying to see if she could see Villanelle anywhere at all.

Eve swallowed.

"What were you dreaming about?" The nurse asked, her expression less worried now.

Eve let out a breath to try and steady her nerves and offered the nurse a shaky smile.

"I was...falling."

"Oh...I've had that dream. It's awful." The nurse said and then handed Eve a cup of water.

Eve drank, her throat felt dry.

"That better?"

Eve nodded gratefully and the nurse moved away from the bed to go back to her station.

Later in the day, she came back holding a bunch of blood red roses.

She placed them on the table beside Eve's bed with a smile.

"See? Someone does care about you."

Eve's heart sank but she forced a smile anyway.

The nurse handed her a card.

"They left this too."

"Did you see who dropped them off?"

The woman frowned.

"It was only a courier."

"Oh..."

Did Eve want Villanelle to show up or was she relieved that it wasn't the assassin herself that had brought the flowers?

"I'll get a vase for the roses." The nurse said and went away to do as she'd said.

Eve opened the small card and read the hand writing.

_ I'm closer than you think _

_ -V_

Eve looked up quickly, expecting to see Villanelle walking around or even in the bed next to her but she was alone in the ward.

What did that mean?

'I'm closer than you think',

Did that mean she was outside? Eve knew the assassin was still in London; she wouldn't have gone anywhere just yet. She would find out that Eve was still alive and if she had of left London, she would have come back to finish the job, of that Eve was sure.

The nurse came back with the vase and put the roses in it, smiling as she arranged them.

"Have they said when I can go home?" Eve asked, even though she wasn't sure she even had a home to go back to.

"I'll find out for you."

"Thank you."

It took about twenty minutes but the nurse came back.

"I spoke to the doctor, he's coming to see you today but it looks like you'll be able to go home later this evening."

Eve smiled.

"Lovely, thank you."

"No problem. If you need anything else, just call. I'm only outside."

Eve looked a little embarrassed.

"I actually have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh ok, no problem."

Eve climbed out of bed and went to the toilet just outside of the ward.

At least she would be going home today.

As Eve sat on the toilet, she heard the door open.

"Is anyone in here?" Came a light voice.

"Uh...yeah, just me...I think."

"Oh ok, I'm the cleaner. I was sent to clean the toilets but I'll come back when you're done."

"Ok, thank you."

Eve heard the door shut and when she was done, she came out to wash her hands.

She looked up and saw the cleaner smiling back at her in the mirror.

"Hello, Eve. I've missed you." Villanelle said, using the cleaner's voice.

Eve spun around, her breathing coming fast again.

Villanelle smiled at her and went back to using her own accent.

"You got lucky...hm?"

"With what?"

"The poisoning. I thought I'd put enough in." Villanelle said, her eyes raking Eve's form.

"Obviously not."

"Villanelle, listen to me."

"I am."

"You don't have to kill me."

Villanelle sighed and put her hands in the pockets of her apron.

"Actually...I do."

Eve frowned.

"Look, things didn't work out between us but that doesn't mean that we have to kill each other!"

Villanelle frowned.

"But you will come after me. You want me in prison."

"No, I won't. I promise you I won't."

Villanelle raised an eyebrow.

"Now why don't I believe you?"

"Villanelle, you can go back to Russia-"

The blonde assassin shrugged.

"And what is there for me? Hm? I have no family...no friends. I would be alone."

"You would have Konstantin."

"He has a family and I am not looking to be adopted."

"Adopted? You're twenty six, you don't need-never mind you probably don't mean that literally but surely you have someone from your past you can turn to?"

Villanelle shook her head.

"No. There is no one."

Eve licked her lips and looked down but Villanelle caught the look and her brow furrowed in a deep frown.

"You know something..."

"No, not me. I don't-"

"Don't lie to me again, Eve. I am losing patience with you." Villanelle warned.

"Konstantin! He knows." Eve blurted.

Villanelle stared at her.

"What does he know?"

"He'll tell you-"

"I want to hear it from you." Villanelle snapped, advancing on Eve.

"Ok-Ok, he knows...he knows where your mother is."

Villanelle stopped and a look Eve couldn't decipher passed in Villanelle's eyes.

"Don't you want to find her? To see her again? Talk to her?"

"No."

"Villanelle, she's your mother-"

"You don't know shit about my mother." Villanelle hissed, her teeth clenching so hard her jaw hurt.

"You don't know what she was like, what she did...what she didn't do."

Eve heard Villanelle's voice break on that last word and she softened.

"I'll help you...if you agree not to kill me, I'll help you. We can find her, you can tell her everything you've always wanted to. It'll be good for you."

Villanelle looked at Eve and that cold expression returned, it was almost cocky.

"You would come to Russia with me?"

Eve nodded.

"I-I would."

"No games?"

"No games."

Villanelle nodded after a moment's thought and then straightened.

"Ok then, you can help me."

She turned and left the toilet with Eve following close behind.

Ok, so she was going to Russia with Villanelle to see her mother...was she insane?!


	13. Chapter 13

**Thirteen**

Konstantin scrubbed at his face. He was irritated and he watched as Villanelle sat on the arm of the chair Eve was occupying. She was too close to this other woman and he didn't like it. Villanelle wasn't made for relationships. As he'd tired to warn Eve before, look at Anna and Nadia. Eve would be just another dead body sooner or later. Just another one for Villanelle to add to her ever-growing list.

"This is not a good idea, Villanelle. You know that."

Villanelle shrugged.

"Eve thinks it'll be good for me."

"To see your mother again? No I don't think it will."

Villanelle frowned slightly at him.

"Who are you to say what's good for me?"

Konstantin gestured to Eve.

"I warned you about her and you didn't listen, now look where you are."

He then looked at the assassin.

"Villanelle, if you go back to Russia, you are basically signing your own death warrant."

Villanelle looked down at Eve.

"The Twelve _are _after us." She muttered.

Eve frowned and shook her head.

"That doesn't matter."

Konstantin looked bewildered.

"Doesn't matter? They will kill you the minute you step off the plane!"

Villanelle said nothing as Konstantin sighed and got to his feet.

"Can I have a word?" He asked, looking at Eve who frowned up at him.

Villanelle mirrored her expression.

"Why can't you say what you want to in front of me?"

Eve shrugged.

"Yeah, Konstantin, why can't you?"

"Because she doesn't need to hear this." He explained, his voice becoming rougher as his anger grew.

Villanelle's frown became deeper and to add insult to injury, Eve nodded that she agreed and started to stand.

Villanelle reached out and grabbed Eve's arm, making her stay seated.

"No. Whatever you have to say about me, you can say to me." She said calmly but firmly.

Konstantin let out a breath and looked at her, the look said that she wouldn't like what he had to say; it was almost as if he was silently asking her if this is what she wanted but Villanelle remained stoic as she stared him out.

"Eve thinks that going to see your mother will cure you but she doesn't understand. Villanelle, you know you are a psychopath." He paused, watching the look in Villanelle's eyes to see if they would change or if she would show any signs of anger. There was nothing, aside from the tiniest flaring of her nostrils.

He continued;

"There is no cure for that. You are who you are and I love you. I've told you how proud I am of you."

He then looked at Eve.

"Seeing her mother will not cure her. This is with her now, it is a part of her and if you care about her, you should accept that she will never change. She will kill you before she changes for you, Eve...think about that."

Konstantin stood and went outside to get some air.

The door shut and Eve let out a breath.

Villanelle looked a little vulnerable for some reason but she placed a hand on Eve's shoulder. The dark haired woman looked slowly up at her.

"He's wrong. I wouldn't kill you, Eve."

Eve frowned.

"But...you tried to."

Villanelle paused and then a shaky smile showed itself.

"I didn't do it though. If I'd really meant to kill you, Eve...you would be dead."

She's lying.

_It's all lies and she doesn't even know._

This might really kill her but Eve decided to call her out on it.

"You do realise you just lied to me?"

Villanelle blinked.

Eve looked at her.

"Do you want to kill me, truly?"

"No. Of course not."

"But you poisoned me."

"I didn't want to. I just got so angry and I wanted-I wanted to teach you a lesson." Villanelle said with a slight shrug as though it was simple matter.

"So you're saying you felt angry?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"I suppose so."

"You don't know?"

Another shrug.

"I think I did."

Eve raked her hair back.

"Maybe Konstantin's right, maybe seeing your mother isn't such a good idea. I mean, do you even want to?"

Villanelle's eyes darted around for a second before she centred on Eve's.

"Do you want me to?"

"I want you to do what you want, Villanelle. I want you to be happy."

Villanelle took one of Eve's hands and the dark haired woman flinched.

Villanelle looked slightly amused.

"You are scared of me." It wasn't a question.

"No." Eve answered but she answered a little too quickly.

Villanelle leaned closer to Eve, searching her eyes.

"Eve, I would never hurt you...again."

Eve extracted her hand from Villanelle's quickly but smoothly.

"I know, I just... I don't know..."

"You don't know what you were going to say or you don't know that I wouldn't hurt you again?" Villanelle asked, tilting her slightly in that questioning way of her's.

Eve sighed.

"You realise how wrong we are for each other, right?"

Villanelle frowned.

"I think we are very right for each other."

"How? How could you possibly think that?"

Villanelle stared right into Eve's dark eyes.

"Because we are the same."

"No, we're not."

"We are. You killed Raymond and I know you liked it."

Eve gave her a look of disgust and got up from the chair, walking away from her.

"I didn't like it...I hated what Id' done. It still makes me feel sick when I think back on it."

"But at the time, when you were hacking into him-"

Eve held up a hand to silence the assassin.

"Just stop."

"When his head split in half-"

"I said stop."

"You felt powerful, Eve. I know you did." Villanelle pushed.

"I know because that's how I feel when I kill someone. When the spark leaves their eyes and you know that you are the cause of it. That is when I feel most alive. Well...that and when I'm with you."

Eve looked at her.

"Is that because you think that's what you're supposed to feel?"

Villanelle gave her a quizzical look.

"It's what I do feel. The first time we had sex, it was amazing. I felt something real."

"But you didn't...I mean when we, it was only me that..." Eve tried to say but it was awkward.

She never in a million years thought that she would be having a conversation with Villanelle about her not needing to get off.

"I know. I didn't need to. Just seeing you, what I was doing to you, how you were responding to me, that was enough."

"It made you feel powerful." Eve stated.

Villanelle smiled wistfully.

"Exactly."

When Eve didn't say anything else, Villanelle stood and smiled at her.

"Come with me to Russia. We don't have to find my mother. We can just...spend some time there. I'll show you where I went to school, where I grew up, where my first kill was." She added with a proud smile on her face.

"You would do all that?" Eve questioned, mystified.

Villanelle lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug.

"You said you wanted to know everything about me. I am giving you that chance."

Eve looked interested and hesitant all at the same time.

"I-I don't know."

"Look, we tried it your way, now let's try mine." Villanelle suggested and she stepped forward, taking Eve's hand gently in her own.

"Step into my world. See how it feels."

**A/N: Another short one but will she or won't she? That's the question. Hopefully, the next chapter will be longer.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Fourteen**

Konstantin watched Villanelle as she packed. She had a smile on her face and she even hummed as she went about choosing what to wear.

"You know this is a mistake." Konstantin said from his place on the edge of the bed.

Villanelle continued to pack as though he hadn't said a word.

"Villanelle."

"It's not a mistake." Villanelle said as she folded a light grey cashmere jumper and packed it neatly into her suitcase.

"Why are you so sure Eve will be able to live in your world? In our world?"

"Because she is more like me than she realises." Villanelle replied with a knowing smirk on her face.

"I don't think she is." Konstantin argued.

"A few more kills and she'll be like me for sure." Villanelle said with dismissive wave of her hand.

Konstantin frowned as he watched the assassin start to sort through her scarves, hats and gloves.

"Are you that desperate not to be alone?"

Villanelle stopped then and she paused, thinking.

She turned and looked back at Konstantin.

"I get lonely from time to time, yes but I didn't plan on meeting Eve. I didn't plan on meeting someone like me."

"And was Anna the same?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"Anna was likeable, she cared about me. She was the first person to care about me." Villanelle muttered as she looked down at the ring on her index finger.

"And Nadia?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"Means to an end? The sex wasn't bad either actually."

Konstantin chuckled as Villanelle grinned a little.

"And Eve? What will she become?"

Villanelle raised an eyebrow.

"She'll either survive in my world...or she won't."

...

Eve stared at her empty suitcase. Was she mad? Going to Russia with Villanelle? Was this the right thing to do?

She'd come back to her house to find that Niko was out, thankfully.

Some part of her had hoped he would be here so that they could talk. Maybe they'd even agree to try again and Eve could tell Villanelle that it was over. She could go back to capturing other female assassins and this time she wouldn't become obsessed with them, she'd make sure of that; but the bottom line was that she could have a normal life again, maybe even forget everything that had happened with Villanelle and how she'd brutally killed Raymond, how she'd left Hugo to bleed out to make sure that a well trained, psychopathic assassin was okay. Even hearing herself say it back in her head sounded ridiculous.

She'd chosen Villanelle over Hugo.

She'd chosen Villanelle over Niko.

She'd chosen Villanelle over her job, her life, her friends.

She'd chosen Villanelle over _everything_.

As Eve went to the wardrobe to begin picking out warm clothing for her trip to Russia, she realised that she was doing it again. Making decisions that would please or even help Villanelle.

Maybe she shouldn't go. Maybe she really should find Niko and talk to him. Beg him to take her back. Tell him that she'd made a mistake and she wouldn't ever go near Villanelle again.

She reached for her phone and the door downstairs opened.

Eve froze.

She heard keys drop into the bowl and then heavy footsteps as they made their way up the staircase.

Eve turned to see Niko entering their bedroom.

He stared at her as he stopped dead in the doorway.

"Eve..."

"Niko...hi."

He swallowed and put his hands in his pockets.

"What are you doing here?"

"I uh...I came back to-to pack some things." She said quietly.

Niko looked at her empty suitcase.

"Haven't got very far then."

Eve also looked down at it.

"No...I guess-I guess I'm not sure about going."

Niko took a breath.

"Where are you going?" He asked, trying to sound like he couldn't care less but also trying to be polite about it.

"Russia."

"Alone?"

Eve felt a stab of guilt.

"N-no."

"Villanelle?"

"Yeah..."

Niko nodded his head and his lips pressed into a grim line.

"You're still with her."

"I'm not...with her, with her, if that's what you mean." Eve said.

Niko shrugged.

"It's none of my business who you're with anymore."

"Niko I've been thinking-"

"I'm actually glad you came back." He started, playing with his wedding ring.

Eve felt hope blossom in her chest.

"You are?"

"Yeah."

He then took the wedding ring off and held it out to her.

"I wanted to give this to you."

Eve looked at his outstretched arm and the gold band held in his fingers.

"We bought each other's, remember?"

Eve nodded mutely.

"Take it." He said gently.

Eve shook her head.

"No... you keep it."

"Why?" Niko asked with a shrug.

"It's not like you're my wife anymore. If truth be told, Eve, you haven't been my wife for a very long time now. Ever since Villanelle came into our lives."

Eve walked around the bed and came to stand in front of her husband.

"I know I messed everything up. I know I put her first in everything and you're right, I have been a shitty wife but Niko...I don't want this anymore. I want to come home. I want to be with you."

Niko shook his head, rubbing his temples.

"It's too late for that, Eve. She's all over you. It's like...it's like I can _smell_ her on you and I know that sounds crazy but it's like-it's like she's tainted you."

Eve shook her head.

"No. No she hasn't, Niko. I'm still me."

She grabbed his hand and held it between her own.

"I want to be your wife again, Niko. I can go back to being who you fell in love with. Just...just give me a chance." She was pleading now.

Tears filled Niko's eyes and he pressed his forehead to her's.

"I want nothing more than to be as we were...but you've killed, Eve. You've changed and you can't ever go back to being who you were. You can never be the person I fell in love with...I'm sorry."

He kissed Eve's forehead, placed his wedding ring in her hand and walked out.

A minute later, Eve heard the front door shut quietly.

Sinking to her knees by the bed, Eve let herself cry as she clenched her fist, Niko's ring nearly cutting into her palm.

That was it.

It was done.

They were finished.

Over.

There was nothing left for Eve to do now but pack for her trip to Russia.

...

"I hate Russia." Villanelle muttered as they sat side by side in the cargo bay of the ship.

Eve frowned.

"Why are we not flying to Russia?" Eve asked.

"It's safer this way. Harder for the Twelve to track us." Villanelle explained.

Silence descended and Eve's mind drifted back to last night's events.

She expected Niko to file the divorce papers soon enough. She would probably come back to them once they returned to London.

She imagined that her stuff would be outside in black bags or sodden boxes if it had been raining which lets be real, it's England so of course at some point it would rain.

She would have to give her ring back to him.

Eve looked down at the ring on her finger and turned it around and then back again.

She loved this ring.

She didn't want to give it up, she never thought she would have to.

"Something wrong?"

Villanelle's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"No...nothing."

Villanelle turned her body to face her completely.

"Something's bothering you. You've been very quiet."

Eve looked at her.

There was no real concern in her hazel eyes. No worry, no sympathy, nothing. It was like looking into a void. That was what she said Aaron had called her, wasn't it?

"Just wondering if the Twelve will be waiting for us when we get to Russia."

Villanelle let out a breath and grinned.

"It's very likely that they will but it will be fine. I'll just kill whoever they send."

"It's not a game." Eve muttered irritably.

Villanelle chuckled.

"What other way to look at it? If we go into this like we're going to die the minute we step off the boat then we've already lost. We'll kill them and that will be that. Simple."

Eve's brow furrowed.

"You really think it's that easy..."

Villanelle shrugged carelessly.

"Because it is."

They both turned to look as Konstantin came down from the top deck.

"We will be in Russia in another three hours. I suggest you both get some sleep so you're well rested for whatever comes your way."

Villanelle grinned up at Konstantin.

"Eve can sleep. I don't need it."

"You do too need your sleep, Villanelle. You are very good at what you do, but even assassins need their rest."

Villanelle rolled her eyes and despite how grave and bleak Eve's life looked right now, she couldn't help but smirk a little at the exchange between ex-handler and assassin. He was like her father.

Did Villanelle feel the same about him? Eve wondered.

Konstantin went back up the ladder and Villanelle stood, going over to the makeshift beds.

"You want the one on the floor or the hanging net thing?" She said, gesturing to the netting that was secured to either post at the ends.

"You mean the hammock?"

Villanelle shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever."

"I guess I'll take the floor one."

"Ok. Sleep well." Villanelle said before she climbed gracefully into the hammock. Eve was sure if that'd been her, she would've ended up on the floor by now.

Eve pulled back the blanket and laid down on the thin mattress. It was so thin that she could still feel the floor underneath it.

"Is that really all you're worried about?" Villanelle asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah..." Eve muttered.

"I don't think it is." Villanelle whispered as she looked down at Eve from the hammock.

Eve frowned up at her.

"Why don't you tell me what you think it is then?"

"Because I want you to trust me enough to tell me." Villanelle answered.

Eve raised her eyebrows at her.

"I'm coming with you to Russia, a place that could potentially kill me and you want me to prove I trust you?"

Villanelle shrugged but said nothing.

Eve sighed and looked up at the ceiling or whatever the roof part of a ship is called.

"Niko gave me back his wedding ring." She said softly, lacing her fingers on top of her stomach.

Villanelle's eyes darted down to Eve's hands.

"But you didn't."

Eve shook her head as she played her with own wedding ring.

"No... I couldn't."

"Why?" Villanelle asked with a small frown.

"I don't want to believe it's over."

Villanelle sat up a little.

"But it is over, Eve. It was over the day you chose to be with me."

Eve looked at Villanelle.

"I've been with Niko for years. It's hard to accept that something we've built together is just...gone, finished."

Villanelle seemed to think about this and then she shrugged and frowned.

"That's life. Things end."

Eve was starting to find Villanelle's simplistic view of life quiet annoying and she was tired so her temper wasn't easily controlled.

"It's not always that simple. Life isn't simple."

"Yes it is."

"Yeah to you! You're a psychopath."

Villanelle's eyes darkened and her lips tightened. She was mad, but then she smiled and her whole posture went from tense to relaxed in a heart beat.

"You must be tired. Get some sleep. We'll talk to tomorrow." And without waiting for Eve to say anything more, Villanelle laid back down in the hammock and closed her eyes.

Eve rolled onto her back but didn't go to sleep.

She stayed up all night thinking about sharing the same sleeping space with a psychopath.

Why had this never bothered her before?

**A/N: Villanelle is put to the test in Russia and Eve has a startling realisation. Things are going to get messy for these two (again)**

**Feel free to review! I love reading your comments :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Fifteen**

They knew the Twelve would be coming, that was inevitable.

Villanelle watched from her place on the top deck of the cargo ship as black vans pulled into the docking area.

She sighed as though bored and maybe she was; she knew this would happen. She would have to fight her way through, protect Eve and Konstantin...what to do about him?

Villanelle pulled on her gloves and zipped up her dark grey parka.

The cargo ship was getting closer to the docks and the men started piling out of the vans.

Maybe she should be flattered that they'd sent this many men to deal with her, maybe they viewed her as dangerous and let's face it, she was.

Very dangerous.

A killer without compassion.

A murderer without remorse.

A perfect weapon and an unpredictable enemy.

Villanelle glanced over her shoulder as Eve came to stand by her side.

Eve's dark eyes widened in alarm when she saw the men and the vans.

"Are they...have they come for us?"

Villanelle nodded her head.

Eve looked around nervously.

"What are we going to do? There's too many of them."

Villanelle let out a breath, folded her arms and frowned as she thought about her options.

"I have a knife. Konstantin has a gun. I think that would take a few of them out. Then I suppose we just fight our way through."

"Fight? I can't-I've never..."

Villanelle turned to face Eve and put a comforting hand on her upper arm.

She smiled reassuringly at the her, trying to calm her.

"Eve, you are safe with me. I won't let anything happen to you."

Eve didn't believe her.

Villanelle said all the right things, made it sound believable but she was a psychopath and when shit hit the fan, they always looked after themselves. The only bodies left on that dock would Eve's and possibly Konstantin's.

Villanelle would win...again.

The assassin sensed Eve's hesitation and she frowned a little.

"You do not believe me."

Eve licked her lips nervously but before she could answer, the side of Villanelle's mouth twitched.

"I will prove myself to you."

Hadn't she said the same thing to Anna right before she ran her over? Twice.

Eve only nodded and Konstantin came to stand with them, looking down at the dock.

"Oh."

Villanelle nodded.

Konstantin sighed and put his hands in his pockets.

"Are we going with them quietly?"

Villanelle pulled out a hidden switch blade and the blade itself snapped out with a single click.

Villanelle grinned.

"No. No I don't think so."

Konstantin couldn't help but grin back her.

The girl was fearless.

Eve was too shocked to comment.

This was where she'd die, she thought to herself. She would die in Russia with Villanelle and Konstantin.

Villanelle would probably see her battered body and then shrug before going off to find some place to lay low before she could leave the country again, Eve doubted she would stay here.

She'd hadn't been too sure about coming back here in the first place.

Villanelle moved first, stepping onto the ramp that would lead down to the dock.

One man came forward. ready to take her in.

Villanelle grinned and before Eve could blink, the assassin lunged at the man and sunk her knife in his throat. Then she moved onto the second and guns started going off.

Konstantin pulled out his own gun and shot the men that were trying to surround Villanelle, and Eve? She crouched down behind some cover and put her hands over her ears.

Although muffled, she could hear shouts, shots and the wet sound of blood being spilt.

Then everything went quiet and a warm, slick hand grabbed for her's.

When she looked up, she saw Villanelle standing above her.

"It's over. We can go now." The assassin was saying.

Eve looked around but she didn't get up from where she'd been hiding.

"Eve, we need to go, now." Villanelle said.

There would be more of them on the way. The Twelve would do whatever was necessary to bring the assassin in but Eve found that she couldn't move.

"Eve, come on! We need-"

Villanelle's words were cut off by a gunshot and the assassin suddenly fell forward onto her knees.

Eve's eyes widened.

"Villanelle..."

Hazel eyes sort dark and Villanelle looked down the blood that was soaking through her jumper and coat.

"They shot me." She whispered, surprise in her voice.

Another gunshot rang out and then suddenly Konstantin was lifting Villanelle up into his arms.

"We need to go. Now." He said sternly.

He didn't wait for Eve to get up and follow. He was only interested in getting Villanelle the medical attention she needed.

Eve followed as quickly as she could as Konstantin went over to one of the vans that was parked at the dock. The driver was dead anyway, he wouldn't miss it.

"Open the doors." Konstantin ordered, nodding to the van's double doors at the back.

Eve did as she was told and Konstantin gently laid Villanelle in the back.

"You stay with her. Take this." He said, pushing some rag into her hands.

Eve looked down at the rag.

"Apply pressure to the wound. Hold the rag on her stomach, you hear me?"

Eve nodded mutely.

Konstantin sighed as he looked at Villanelle laying in the back of the van.

Her eyes were shut and she was pale, blood still flowing from the wound.

Konstantin looked at Eve and pointed a finger at her.

"She dies, it's on you."

Then he went and climbed into the driver's seat.

Eve got into the back of the van and shut the doors behind her, then went to Villanelle's side and pressed the rag into the assassin's wound.

The blonde let out a hiss and Eve nearly jumped.

"You're gonna be okay." Eve said quietly, her voice shaking.

A smirk-but a weak one- played across Villanelle's lips.

"You think I'm going to die."

"No, no of course you're not. You're stronger than that."

"Stronger than a gun?"

"Maybe. Just-just stay with me, okay?" Eve said a little awkwardly.

Villanelle placed her hand over Eve's and looked up at her.

"I meant it when I said I loved you."

Eve looked down at her. Now was really not the time to be talking about this.

"Just stay awake. You don't have to talk."

"No...I do. You have to understand, Eve. I don't love easily but with you...with you it was easy. I felt things..._really_ felt things."

Her grip on Eve's hand tightened.

"I need to know how you feel about me. If I'm going to die soon-"

"You won't." Eve interrupted firmly.

"If I'm going to die soon, I need to know what might've happened between us. I can't stand not knowing. Please...just tell me."

Eve didn't know what to say. Should she be honest? Should she give the girl some kind of fantasy to hang onto while she balanced on the line of life and death?

Which was kinder?

Kinder? How could you decide what was kinder to a psychopath?

Villanelle seemed to read Eve's mind and she smiled warmly up at her.

"Don't think of me as I am, a psychopath. Think of me as a normal person...even though we both know I'm not. Just for now...treat me like I am, please, Eve."

Those words nearly broke Eve's heart but at least she knew what she would say to a normal person in a situation like this.

Eve returned Villanelle's smile.

"I think after Russia, we would have returned to London. We would have got a proper little apartment. I think we would have been happy."

The brightness of Villanelle's smile could have rivalled that of the sun in that moment.

"Really?" She breathed, tears in her eyes.

Eve nodded.

"We might've even got a cat."

"A cat? What would we have called her?"

"Oh it's a her... Well, whatever you want."

"And you...do you love me, Eve?"

Eve bit her lip, tears filling her own eyes.

"Yes, Villanelle. I love you."

"How much do you love me?" Villanelle asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Eve used her free hand to wipe a tear away on Villanelle's face.

"With everything that I have."

Villanelle sniffed, still smiling.

"I have never...been loved like that before. Not even Anna loved me like that."

Eve felt Villanelle's pulse. It was weak and suddenly, more than anything, she wanted the assassin to live.

It scared her how much she wanted it.

Eve shouted at Konstantin.

"Can't you drive any faster?!"

Villanelle coughed and her eyes flickered.

"Eve..."

Eve looked down at her.

"If I die...I'll die knowing you loved me. That will be enough."

"Listen to me, Villanelle. you are not going to die. We will get you to a hospital and you are going to be fine." Eve told her firmly.

Villanelle nodded.

"I believe you."

**A/N: Will she make it? stay tuned and I'll try to update soon x **


	16. Chapter 16

**Sixteen**

Konstantin tried his best to comfort Eve as he awkwardly patted her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Eve. I tried. There was nothing I could do."

"I thought it was gonna be ok...I thought that she would come home and we could all..."

Konstantin nodded.

"I know, I know but don't be sad, Eve. Villanelle wouldn't want you to be sad."

Eve sighed.

"I just wanted...I needed to..."

Konstantin held up his hand to silence her.

"She will understand that you are upset but she would not want it. Trust me, Eve."

Eve nodded.

"Has someone burnt something?" Villanelle asked from the door way.

Konstantin turned to her and sighed.

"Eve was trying to make you a cake."

Villanelle's eyes widened in surprise.

"A cake?"

Eve nodded but said nothing as she stared down at the burnt sponge cake on the kitchen counter.

"I went out to get some icing and left the gas on too high. When I got back it was burnt to shit." She muttered.

Villanelle's face suddenly took on a troubled expression but Konstantin grinned, sensing what Villanelle was going to do.

"I can see why you are so upset, Eve. I mean...to lose a cake, that must be awful."

Eve's eyes narrowed as she looked up at Villanelle.

"Are you taking the piss out of me?"

Villanelle grinned.

"Just a little."

Konstantin laughed.

"I go buy a cake from the shop, okay? Then everything will be fine, we can still have some cake and decide what our next step is going to be."

Villanelle nodded and so did Eve.

After Konstantin left, Villanelle took Eve's hand and lead her into the living room.

They sat down on the couch and Villanelle leaned across to kiss her then stopped when the movement caused her pain.

Eve frowned in concern.

"You're still healing. You need to go careful."

Villanelle huffed but sat back anyway. Eve was right, she was lucky to be alive after being shot like that.

"How are you feeling?" Eve asked softly, taking Villanelle's hand.

The blonde groaned.

"Better but it still hurts."

"It will but you'll get better. You're strong." Eve said reassuringly.

Villanelle smiled warmly at Eve.

"I love you...you know that, don't you?"

Eve nodded.

"I do."

"And this, this is what you want, yes?"

Eve nodded but her smile wavered slightly; something Villanelle picked up on but didn't comment. She didn't want to. She knew that Eve's feelings didn't run as deep as her own. She could see that and though she may be a psychopath, she was beginning to understand what it meant to have a connection to someone, what it felt to love someone and she knew with a strange kind of sadness that Eve didn't feel exactly the same. She was sure that Eve was fond of her, that she cared about her but not like Villanelle cared and loved Eve. She never would and Villanelle was trying to decide how she was going handle that, but for now, it was perfect.

Eve was attentive, caring. She always reassured Villanelle that she was doing fine and she'd get stronger each day. Villanelle knew how strong and capable she was, she didn't need reminding but from Eve, it just felt like something she needed to hear. She couldn't explain it though. She'd never needed anyone's approval; not from her family, not from Anna, not from Nadia, no one but Eve...Eve was different. Despite what had happened between them in Rome, Villanelle had taken back what she'd said, Eve was special.

She was special to her.

"What are you thinking about?" Eve asked, pulling Villanelle out of her thoughts.

"Everything. Mainly you."

"Me?"

Villanelle nodded.

"Hm hm."

Eve turned to her slightly.

"What about me?" She asked with a small grin.

"I am thinking about how long you will actually stay with me." Villanelle replied, her hazel eyes staring into Eve's. It was said like a statement; no feeling or emotion behind it, just a cold, hard fact. The truth.

Eve frowned a little.

"Villanelle, I-"

"It doesn't matter. I know you're with me because I got shot and you feel responsible, even though I've told you it's not your fault."

"But it was my fault. If I hadn't have said to go to Russia, you wouldn't have been shot at all."

"But I wanted to go."

"Because you knew _I_ wanted you to go." Eve corrected her.

Villanelle paused.

"You mean...I made a decision based on what I thought you wanted?"

Eve nodded and Villanelle looked genuinely confused.

"That's...that's never happened to me before."

"Never?"

"No, never."

"Then why did you go?" Eve asked.

Villanelle shrugged.

"You thought it would be good for me. I wanted to...I wanted to please you..." Villanelle said as the realisation hit her.

"I went to Russia because you wanted me to go."

"But...did you want to go?" Eve asked her.

Villanelle shook her head, her eyes wide as these confusing thoughts worked their way through her brain.

"No..."

"You didn't want to see your mother?"

"No, I hated my mother."

Eve's frown deepened and then she smiled brightly.

"Villanelle..."

The blonde looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"You put someone else before yourself. I know what they say about psychopaths and not being able to understand them but Villanelle, maybe there is hope for you. Maybe you can change."

Villanelle suddenly sat forward and despite the pain, she struggled to stand.

Eve frowned.

"Where are you going?"

"I-I need some air. I need to think, I need to go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Anywhere, just...away from here. Tell Konstantin to save me some cake." Villanelle said distractedly as she walked into the hall and headed for the front door.

Eve followed her.

"Villanelle, you're still weak, you shouldn't go outside."

"I'll be fine, Eve. I just...I just need some space."

Eve watched as Villanelle walked out the door without so much as a goodbye.

Konstantin returned holding a big, pink, square box. He was smiling as he brought it into the living room to find Eve sitting on the couch, chewing on the skin around her thumb. It was sore now and red.

"Where's Villanelle?" Konstantin asked, the smile still in place if a little shaky.

"She went out for a walk. Said she needed some air."

Konstantin frowned deeply.

"And you let her go? When she's still not fully healed?"

Eve shrugged.

"Like I could stop her. You know what she's like."

Konstantin nodded but he was still annoyed.

"You shouldn't have let her leave. I know she can be headstrong and stubborn but...she loves you, Eve. She would listen to you."

Eve let out a small sigh.

"I'm not so sure anymore."

...

Villanelle walked along the streets of London, near the river Thames.

She looked out across to Tower bridge and lent on the railing as she watched tourists getting their pictures taken, traffic moving slowly across the bridge, barges just bobbing in the water. Everything was so simple.

It used to be simple too in Villanelle's head but now...

She frowned, lines creasing her brow.

Now it wasn't so simple.

Eve was right, Villanelle had done things because she had put Eve first. She'd never done that before and it scared her that nothing was as simple as she'd once thought.

Eve made her feel things and even though she liked that side to it, she didn't realise how much of herself it would change. She didn't know that her feelings for Eve would manipulate the way she thought or even acted.

Shaking her head, she continued to watch the London scene play out before her.

This wasn't home.

It never had been.

London suddenly felt very strange to her and Villanelle took a step back from the river and let out a breath.

London wasn't for her.

Nothing in this country was.

She knew that now.

...

She didn't come home that night. Or the next night. Or the night after that.

Eve was getting worried.

Konstantin had tried to trace her and said he'd found nothing.

After two weeks of searching, Konstantin told Eve straight.

"She's gone, Eve and she's not coming back."

Eve shook her head.

"She wouldn't just leave like that."

Konstantin sighed.

"There are no good reasons for doing what Villanelle does but she does it anyway. Something probably happened that she wasn't happy with and it caused her to leave."

Konstantin paused as he thought back.

"What were you talking about the night she left."

Eve frowned as she tried to think.

"Uh...she told me she loved me, I said that I blamed myself for her getting shot...um, what else...? Oh we spoke about about was doing things to make sure I was happy...she didn't seem to understand that." Eve said, a small frown creasing her brow.

Konstantin shrugged.

"Did she seem angry?"

"No, not angry just...confused, maybe even a little...scared."

Konstantin's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Scared? Villanelle? Never! I have known that girl for years and never have I ever known her to be scared, not of anything. Nervous, sure but never scared."

Eve nodded, she knew this.

Villanelle had never shown signs that she could be scared, she'd even admitted it. She didn't feel fear but that night when her and Eve had talked, Eve was sure she'd seen fear there.

"Do you think she's gone back to Russia?"

Konstantin shook his head.

"No. She hates it there."

Eve started biting the skin on her thumb as tried to think.

"Paris?"

"Eve...I have asked everyone I know. No one has seen any sign of her." He said with a sigh.

Eve stood up.

"We've got to keep looking." She muttered as she left the living room.

Eve did keep looking. She kept looking for weeks, then months and even for a few years but Villanelle had gone off grid.

At one point, Eve even wondered if she was dead but the assassin was too smart for that and she had no one to protect but herself so she'd be fine, Eve was sure of it.

She just had to persevere, something would come soon, it had to. Or this, all of this, what she'd done, what she'd given up, it would have been for nothing.

...

The snow was thick. Too thick.

Why here? Of all places in the entire world, why here? What was the appeal?

Konstantin sighed as he found himself knee deep in the wet sludge.

Looking ahead, he saw the flickering glow of a lantern in the window of a cabin just up the hill.

Again, he sighed.

It was still a long walk. Still a long way to go.

Wolves howled and at one point, Konstantin wondered if he'd actually heard a bear growl behind him. He kept pushing forward.

The wind whipped around him and he pulled his coat tighter. He wished he'd worn a hat at least and some gloves, the scarf wasn't doing much at all to keep the chill out.

Again, he wondered, why here?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the cabin.

Knocking on the door, he stood back and waited.

After a few minutes, she appeared.

"Konstantin..." She seemed shocked then annoyed when she frowned deeply.

"How did you find me? Is Eve with you?"

Konstantin gave her a warm smile, the smile he used when he was trying to calm her down. It rarely worked but he used it all the same.

"I know you too well, Villanelle and no, Eve is not with me."

Looking over his shoulder, she took a step back and opened the door a little wider.

"Come in, then."

Konstantin smiled again and wiped his boots on the wooden porch before stepping inside Villanelle's new cabin.

It was...cosy but not what he imagined Villanelle would really like, this wasn't really her, was it?

A fireplace was lit against the far right wall, a couch sat just in front of it and a TV was sat facing an arm chair in between the couch and the fireplace. It was very quiet.

"You live here now?"

Villanelle nodded as she shut and bolted the door.

"No one can get to me here. It's perfect."

Konstantin looked around, hands in his pockets as he took in everything that Villanelle wasn't; basic, simple, boring.

"Eve has been asking about you."

Villanelle stiffened and then shrugged, going over to the small kitchen.

"Do you want some tea?"

Konstantin nodded.

"Please."

There was a moment of silence as Villanelle prepared the tea.

"Eve wants to know where you are."

Again, Villanelle said nothing.

"Why did you leave that night? Why didn't you say where you were going? If not to Eve then at least to me."

Villanelle let out a breath.

"I wanted to get away. Eve made me realise something and I..." She trailed off.

She unsure, nervous.

"She made you realise what?"

Villanelle turned back to look at him, her eyes steely and determined.

"Konstantin, have you ever known me to be afraid?"

"You? Never."

"Well I was that night. I'd never felt fear before but when Eve was telling me I was changing, how I was putting her before myself and that showed a change in my...character. That scared me and so...I had to leave." She finished with a shrug.

Konstantin nodded that he understood.

Villanelle had always been free and someone telling her that she was changing in order to accommodate someone she thought she loved, that was not a wise thing to say.

"Speaking of changing," Konstantin began, "What is all this?" He asked, gesturing to the cabin.

"It's my new home." Villanelle said a little defensively.

"Villanelle! This is not you!" Konstantin exclaimed.

"You like lavish things, expensive things, luxury, this...this is not luxury, Villanelle."

Villanelle looked around the cabin and it was like she was only noticing it for the first time.

It was shit.

She sighed.

"What am I doing here?"

Konstantin smiled a little.

"Exactly. I suggest you find yourself somewhere that is more you."

"I'm not going back to London." She said, her eyes flicking up to meet his.

That warm smile stayed on his face.

"No one said you had to. I'll tell Eve that it's over between the two of you. You can move on. In fact, I didn't just come here to tell you to leave this cabin. I have a proposition for you."

Reaching into his coat, Konstantin pulled out a postcard and handed it to her.

"The Twelve...they want you back."

Villanelle looked mildly interested as she took the postcard and read the writing.

_Can't wait to see you!_

_Let me know when you're back, we'll have to meet up! x_

This was the Twelve's way of saying we'll be in touch.

Villanelle nodded.

"A second chance."

Konstantin nodded.

"After Raymond was killed, which they are giving you the credit for by the way, the Twelve decided that you are far more deadly that what they had originally thought. They want you back and they want to offer you more money."

Villanelle grinned.

"Well I am the best, the Twelve know that if they don't take me back, then another organisation will."

Konstantin nodded.

"This is true. So...what do you say?"

Villanelle smiled and fanned herself with the postcard.

"I think this will be a very good career move."

Konstantin grinned.

At least she would leave this stinking cabin and get back to civilisation.

**Epilogue**

It seemed like everything had gone back to normal; Eve was once again working at MI6 but with a lower pay grade, Niko had decided to their marriage another shot and she hadn't seen or heard from Villanelle or Konstantin in over 2 years.

Life beginning to feel normal again, yes normal but boring too.

One night after she'd gotten home from work, Niko handed a letter to her.

"This came for you." He said, giving her a qucik kiss before he went back to cooking their dinner.

"Oh thank you. I'm just gonna go up and change."

Niko nodded with a smile on his face.

"Eve."

Eve stopped on the stairs as Niko looked up at her.

"I love you."

Eve smiled back.

"I love you too."

Then she went upstairs.

Downstairs, she heard Niko switch on the TV.

_...'A woman was found dead and mutilated in a cattery in Austria in the early hours of this morning. Officials say that she was working alone over the weekend. The cleaner found her inside one of the very small cat cages with, and I quote, _

_'So many deep cuts, it looked like the cats had attacked her,' _

_but the reports came back that she was not attacked by an animal and as if this wasn't strange enough, only one kitten was missing among the 100 or so cats in their care. _

_Officials are urging anyone with any information to come forward'..._

Eve sat down on the bed and opened the letter.

Inside was just a picture.

A picture of Villanelle cuddling a small black kitten.

Eve's heart started to race.

Flipping over the picture, she noticed Villanelle's handwriting, just one line that read;

_'I have called her Eve'_

**END**


End file.
